Juvetch

This is an old Croatian recipe my mom made as far as I can remember. It makes a lot so you can feed a bunch with it. It is hard to make just a little. It’s economical and summer is a good time to make it with stuff from the garden. In fact. summer was the only time Mom made it and we ate it up like a bunch of hogs, lol. Beware of the smell though, it will travel all over your neighborhood and you may end up with dinner guests, it smells that good! I don’t think any one could mess this up, it is very forgiving, and you could probably add other stuff but this is how I have always made it. If you really need to make it for a crowd , just repeat more layers with more meat. If you are a meat and potato lover, you will like this, I promise. Oh yea, I almost forgot, It is best served after it has cooled off a bit and I have to have cucumber salad with it. Like a marriage of food from heaven!

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: lots n lots

Prep Time: 30 min   Cook Time: about 1-2 hrs  

Ingredients

potatoes 4-5 lbs
pork about 3-4 lbs
1 cup rice, rinsed and drained
1- 2 large onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chopped
tomatoes, chopped, enough to cover entire bottom and top layers
salt and pepper, to taste
oil or other fat

Directions

In bottom of large, deep casserole, I use a oval roaster with lid, layer sliced potatoes, as many as you need to feed your family. Salt and pepper them. Next add on top chopped onion, then chopped green pepper. On top of this add about 1/2 of the raw rinsed rice, and finish with chopped fresh tomatoes over all, salting and peppering as you like. I usually add a little to every layer. Drizzle a little olive or vegetable oil over all.

Next layer on your pork. I use whatever I have on hand, such as chops or cut up roast , or country style ribs. Cover entire top with layer of meat. Then repeat bottom layer again starting with potatoes and ending with rice and tomatoes on top, and drizzle a little more oil. Now pork is pretty lean and usually I have to add some fat, and that is why I use some oil, but you could use lard or bacon fat. Put a lid on top or cover with foil, and bake at 350 till done. After about an hour of baking, if it looks a little dry I add a little water to it, but it usually produces enough juice on it’s own.

Categories: Casserole, Main Dish, Old-Fashioned, One Dish Meal, Pork, Potluck

Submitted by: marymac on August 24, 2010