Yes I know, holydays are coming and I am glad to give you this recipe for a tasty appetizer, only I inform you that in this post there are bloody photos related to the preparation of this recipe, if you are sensitive to blood please stop here because I am going to prepare the head of a small pig cutting several parts.

 

 

 Ingredients:

Pig Head (half)

Small Onions in Vinegar

Black Olives

Balsamic Vinegar

Marine Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 First of all, the head has been cut in half by the butcher, I will take out the brain…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I will put the brain a part for another preparation… 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 …usually I use it to make Cannelloni…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we have to get rid of the hair burning them on the fire…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 as you can see every part of the skin pass through the fire so the hair burn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 this process is delicate and dangerous: pay attention to not burn your fingers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 after that I wash the head under running fresh water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and I scratch off the skin with a blade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 cleaning every spot from the residuals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 as I finish I wash again every part of the head

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I set fresh water in a pot adding a pinch of Marine Salt…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 …a clove of Garlic…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 few Laurel leaves…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and the head, please note that the water is still cold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I cover with a lid and I start the fire to boil everything ….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 after about 25 minutes of boiling you have to check if the fork can penetrate the skin: if it does the head is ready and you can take it out of the water and put in a colander to drip the water off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 as the head become cold you start to cut in to small stripes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 you cut every part including the skin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we are going to use skin, fat and flesh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 with the knife we clean very well the bones (which will be discarded)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 cut every piece of skin, fat and meat in small cubes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 before cut in slices…and then in cubes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 also the nose (muzzle) will be eaten: this and the ears are the best parts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 you will see how much meat you will get!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we are going to boil some potatoes, you could use the Pig broth or even fresh water…so peel the Potatoes…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 cut in half so they need less time to cook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 set them to boil!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 smaller potatoes will not be cut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 continue to clean the bones: no meat has to be wasted!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 help yourself with the knife to find the meat under the bones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 here we go: small cubes of skin, fat and flesh are ready…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 the Potatoes are ready too…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I remind you to check with a fork to see if the Potatoes are ready: when the fork easily penetrates them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 cut the Potatoes in cubes…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 drip the vinegar from the small Onions  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 add two spoons of Balsamic Vinegar to the Pork cubes and stir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mix well everything, at this point you should check for the salt: add it in small quantities and re-check if it needs more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 add the small Onions and the Black Olives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 mix again everything (you can use a spoon, if you like, I love do it with my bare hands! no worries: I wash my hands hundred times while I am preparing food!

 

 

 

 

 

 last to be added are the Potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 two spoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil are enough…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 gently mix again everything

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 set in a plate and this tasty appetizer is ready!!!

 

 

 

 

z