Traditional Pork Pita with a Twist (Pastrmajlija)

Directions

• Marinate the meat
• Cut the meat into small squares. Season with a mix of salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
  
• Prepare the dough
• Start by activating the yeast. In a small bowl, mix the yeast and sugar with ½ cup of lukewarm water. Add a sprinkle of flour, then set it in a warm spot to rise. I usually place it near the stove if something’s cooking or in a sunny spot if the weather’s warm. It should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the temperature. Look for bubbles forming within a few minutes, that’s how you know the yeast is alive and activated.
  
• In a large bowl, combine the activated yeast with about 600 ml of lukewarm water, and salt. Stir gently to combine. Gradually add the flour, mixing as you go, until the dough reaches a sticky consistency.
  
• Keep adding the remaining flour bit by bit, mixing with your hands. Stop adding flour as soon as the dough becomes soft and smooth. Make sure you don’t overdo it, or it will become hard to work with. You are aiming for a soft, pliable dough.
  
• Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to work with and improving its rise.
  
• After 30 minutes, the dough should have risen noticeably. Transfer it to a lightly floured countertop and stretch the dough a few times. If you worked with sourdough before, you’ll know this step pretty well. Let it rest again, covered with a towel, for about 15 more minutes.
  
• Now take the dough, split it on 4 equal pieces, form four nice smooth pieces and let them rest covered. You want to rest the dough for about an hour, so you get nice smooth, well-risen dough before you start rolling the pita.
  
• While the dough rests, take the meat out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature. You can start working on cleaning the mushrooms and have them ready for when time comes. I like to take a wet towel and gently brush any dirt off. Slice them up on thin pieces and set aside.
• Prepare the pita
• Start by preheating the oven to 400°F.
• Take one portion of the dough and lightly dust your countertop with flour. While you can use a rolling pin, I prefer the traditional method: shaping the dough into a boat-like form to hold the filling.
• Place ¼ of the marinated pork and some mushrooms on top of the dough. Then, evenly distribute a few spoonfuls of room-temperature lard. The lard should be soft, making it easier to work with.
  Repeat the process with the remaining dough. You should end up with about 4 pitas, distributed across two baking sheets. If your oven doesn’t have enough space to bake both trays at once, bake them in two batches, working gradually.
  
• Bake the pitas at 400°F for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 375°F and continue baking until the dough turns golden, about 20-25 minutes. Toward the end of baking, glaze the edges of the dough with a little extra lard for a glossy finish and added flavour.
  
• Once baked, let the pitas rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This helps the flavours settle and makes them easier to handle.
  
• Sprinkle some hot chilli flakes for some heat, and chopped parsley for freshness. Both are optional, but highly recommended. To arrive to complete original pastrmajlija, you may add few hot chillies on the side. Believe, they will complete the dish to perfection.