Head of the lamb
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (200 grams) of bread crumbs
- 1 cup whole milk [No amount specified]
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 handful fresh Italian parsley, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste (use more salt than normal because the brain needs salt)
- 1 lamb head. Ask your butcher to cut the head longitudinally so you have two mirror halves.
Preparation
- Heat oven at 350 F (175C).
- Gently rinse the head under slowly running cold water to remove the blood.
- Put a large pot of water on high heat. When the water boils, add the two pieces of the lamb head. Boil it about 12 minutes.
- Remove the two halves of the head and allow them to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the brain from the head with a spoon, and with a knife remove the meat on the cheek bones.
- Mince the meat from the cheek bones and place in a medium sized bowl. Chop the brain, adding it to the same bowl.
- Squeeze the breadcrumbs to remove excess milk, and add to the bowl with the brain and minced meat. Add the minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients well.
- Divide the mixture into two “meatballs” and place them back into the head bones.
- Cover the surface of the “meatballs” with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle a little bit of olive oil. Place the two halves of the head into a large roasting pan, and bake at 350 F for 12 minutes.
- Increase temperature to broil for just one 1 minute – check check it out! Do not let it burn, you just want it to get a light crust on top.
- Remove from the oven and serve with some bruschetta (toasted olive bread, best with olive oil and, if you like, also rub on the bread a clove of garlic).
Suggested Side dishes:
- Chicory leaves – 2 leaves per person, immerse the in water an ice, and take them out at he table in front of everybody and with your own hands put some of the sauce of the puntarelle (see recipe Spallucce di Abbacchio alla Cacciatora) over each leaf and enjoy!
- Schiacciata di patate (mashed potatoes with onion and rosemary.