Creepy Prosciutto Face

Creepy Halloween dish shaped as a head made out of Prosciutto ham with cream cheese and green olive eyes, surrounded by square crackers.

Don't let sugar scare your guests away from your Halloween party. Make this creepy prosciutto face as a healthier alternative to the usual sugar-laden Halloween treats.

Course snacks

Cuisine Global

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword cheese ball, halloween foods

Special Diet Carnivore Diet, Keto, Low Carb, Paleo

Prep Time 15

soaking and chill time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings servings (approximately 2 Tablespoons)

Calories 148kcal

Author Tracy Ariza, DDS

Ingredients

For the cheese ball

450 g cream cheese 2 8oz packages
100 g salted cod
2 teaspoons dried onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder

To cover it

200 g sliced prosciutto or sliced sausage like salami

For the eyes

2 teaspoons cream cheese to hold the pupils
2 olives or blueberries etc. for pupils

Instructions

Making the cheese ball mixture

Soak the salted cod in cold water for about an hour, changing the water every 15 minutes to remove the excess salt.
Strain the cod, removing as much water as possible. Break it up into small pieces.
In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese, shredded cod, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Making the face

Mold the cheese mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper into a rough skull shape. Make an oval that is wider on the top. Next, create indented, rounded eye sockets on both sides. Add a nose shape and an indentation at the mouth.
Lay slices of salami or prosciutto over the face.
Overlap the slices of cured meat to create the effect of the skin. Tuck the ends of the meat slices under the face to hide any seams.
Add the eyes by placing some cream cheese in the eye sockets and sticking in olives or blueberries in the cream cheese to hold them in place. (See other options below.)

Chill and serve the cheese ball

Refrigerate the face cheese ball for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld and the shape set.
When ready to serve it, place it on a platter and surround it with a variety of meats and cheeses. To make it even more festive, add cheese molded into shapes or cheese cut with cookie cutters.

Video

Notes

If you don't want to make a cheese ball, you can layer the meats over a face base made of:

a mask covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil
wadded up scraps of paper or cloth in a food-safe plastic bag

For the eyeballs you can use:

Cream cheese with olives
Mozzarella balls with blueberries
Lychees
Gummy eyeballs

Garnish with:

Sliced meats and cheeses
Crackers and/or melba toasts
Cut up raw veggies

Using thinner strips of ham gives a more realistic (and creepier) effect.

Try wrapping strips of ham around the edges of the eyeballs to help hold them in place and give a more finished look to the face.

Nutrition