Old recipe books suggest that an ideal Sarajevo Sahan be made up of the following: one šiš-ćevap (small pieces of beef and carrots placed alternately on a wooden skewer), japrak sarma (stuffed grape leaves), stuffed peppers and tomatoes, some sogan dolma (stuffed onions) and a few meatballs. The sauces from these individual dishes are mixed and then poured over the entire Sahan before serving.

This specialty takes its name after sahans, deep metal platters which the metalworkers of Baščaršija have been crafting for centuries.

Given the work involved in producing a metal sahan, it really is very much a work of art, especially with the special care that is taken when decorating the lid, which keeps the meal from getting cold.

If you’d like to try this delicious traditional specialty, we recommend that you visit Hadžibajrić Aščinica (Ćurčiluk Veliki 59) or ASDŽ Aščinica (Ćurčiluk Mali 3), where you can find out for yourself why Sarajevo Sahan has always been the most popular meal among Sarajevans and those who visit.