It is hard to believe that during all these years that I am writing this blog I never wrote about piti.
The word "piti" must be read stressing the second syllable. If you say it right and say it to someone from Azerbaijan, the person would smile at you back and say "ah, piti"...
Piti goes well with pickles and onion. Usually one pot serves one person but you can share of course.
![]()
Tradition demands certain ways of eating piti. First you enjoy broth and then the rest of the meal.
![]()
![]()
The word "piti" must be read stressing the second syllable. If you say it right and say it to someone from Azerbaijan, the person would smile at you back and say "ah, piti"...
Probably I would be right to say that no other meal of Sheki is as traditional as "piti". "Piti" comes from our ancestors, it was thought through in far history and all we do now is enjoy it, try to preserve its peculiarities and pass it on to young generations.
Peculiar meals exist of course in every city, country and corner of our planet. Traditional meals of someone else might be to our taste or not and this is very natural. Passion with which local people offer visitors traditional meals close to their hearts is very understandable. Visitors don't have to like or even more so love these meals and dishes...the extent to which they are ready to try new things also depends on how adventurous they are.
So if you are not a vegetarian and are not shocked to see pieces of fatty tail of lamb in your plate then be sure that you would enjoy eating "piti" very much.
Piti is cooked in ceramic pots. What is important that piti should not be prepared in newly made ceramic pots. Only ceramic pots that have been boiled preliminarily with lamb fat could be used to prepare piti. New ceramic pots absorb all fat and oil and therefore can't be used to prepare a delicious meal.
This is where I would stop since the rest you would need to see, try and enjoy personally. Piti can be tried all year long...but if you happen to be in Sheki or Baku in cool autumn or crispy winter weather, then piti is THE meal. My subjective view is that piti smells and tastes great.
I am posting our family photos of one of those "piti" evenings at my parents. Piti season is starting you see...
Be well!
For more and details of Azerbaijani cuisine please visit http://www.azcookbook.com/.