Shaki piti
(Sheki piti, Sheki pitisi)
When seeking genuinely authentic and traditional Azerbaijani cuisine, piti is undoubtedly the first dish that locals will recommend. Originating in the northern city of Sheki, this hearty stew owes its unmistakable taste to the clay pot in which it's made - the dopu.
Sheki was historically known as a potters' city - in the hands of true craftsmen, clay from the nearby mountains was carefully transformed and shaped into the perfect container for this unique dish. Piti was considered a worker's dish because only one serving is so filling that it can provide enough nourishment for the entire day.
The stew is made with lamb meat, chickpeas, chestnuts, dried plums, onions, saffron, and sheep tail fat. It takes several different cooking cycles to add all of the ingredients, as the lamb meat cooks very slowly. The traditional way of eating piti is divided into two courses - first, the broth from the pot is poured over small pieces of bread, onions, and sumac.
The rest of the piti is then mashed in individual pots and served as a main course.
