Traditional paçë koke — a warming Albanian soup with garlic, red pepper and vinegar

Head paçë is one of the most traditional dishes of Albanian cuisine, prepared since ancient times in our families, especially on cold winter days. It is a rich, warming and very tasty soup, prepared with the boiled broth of a lamb’s (or calf’s) head, flavoured with crushed garlic, hot red pepper and vinegar. Here is the complete recipe to prepare it at home:

Ingredients (for 4–5 people):

– 1 lamb’s head (a calf’s head can also be used)
– 1 litre of boiled head broth
– 1 coffee cup of butter or oil
– 1 teaspoon of flour
– 1/2 teaspoon of hot pepper
– 2–3 tablespoons of vinegar
– 4–5 cloves of garlic
– 1 onion
– 2–3 carrots
– 1 celery root
– A little parsley and bay leaf
– Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. The head is cleaned well, cut into pieces and placed in cold water to remove the blood. It is then put in a pot, covered with cold water and placed on the heat.

2. When the water comes to a boil, the foam is removed and it is left to simmer on a low heat, adding the onion, the carrots, the celery, the salt, the pepper, the bay leaf and the parsley.

3. It is boiled until the meat comes away from the bone easily. The broth is strained, the meat is picked from the bones and cut into small cubes.

4. In another pot the butter (or oil) is put in, the flour is lightly fried, then a little sauce and the broth taken from boiling the head are added.

5. When the broth comes to a boil, the boiled meat, a little red pepper, salt and black pepper are added, and it is left to boil on a low heat for a few more minutes.

6. Finally, crushed garlic with vinegar is added to the paçë. It is served hot, with toasted bread.

Preparation time: about 3 hours (including boiling the head). Servings: 4–5 people.