Porchetta
Central Italy's magnificent roast pork — porchetta, a deboned whole pig (or pork belly and loin) rolled with wild fennel fronds, garlic, rosemary and black pepper, then roasted for hours until the outer skin crackles. Ariccia near Rome and Norcia in Umbria are the great capitals. Served in bread rolls at street markets across Italy.
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Hard
Prep 30 min · Cook 2 hr
Ingredients
Method
Butterfly open the pork belly. Season the flesh generously with salt, pepper, garlic, fennel, rosemary and olive oil. Place the pork loin along the centre. Drizzle with white wine.
About 5 min
Roll tightly; tie with kitchen string at 3cm intervals. Pat the skin completely dry; season skin with coarse salt.
About 47 min
Refrigerate overnight (ideally 24 hours) uncovered, skin side up, to dry out the skin completely — this is essential for perfect crackling.
About 47 min
Roast at 220°C for 30 minutes (for crackling); reduce to 170°C; roast 2–2.5 more hours. The skin must be shatter-crisp and the internal temp 70°C.
About 47 min
Rest 20 minutes. Slice thickly; serve in crusty bread with the crackling. The herb-perfumed pork with the crispy skin in bread is one of Italy's greatest pleasures.
About 3 min
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 46 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 640 mg
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Recipe by Boon Tools.