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Porchetta |Taste of Umbria on a Plate |

Porchetta

This recipe is so easy to make and the star of the show is the oven. Cook up this glorious porchetta recipe for your next Italian feast. This is a simplified version is flavoured with fragrant fennel seeds, garlic, lemon and wine was passed to us from friends in the area who gleaned it from a local chef in Assisi.

It takes very little time to prepare and always receives very positive comments when we serve to friends and family. A brilliant dish served hot as a Sunday roast and also works well as a cold cut with salads. We find that leaving it in the fridge overnight really intensifies the flavours.

Porchetta

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By Marc Spendlove-Kruger Serves: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Although porchetta can be found throughout Italy (most notably in Lazio), it originated in the central region of Umbria. A hefty fennel flavouring sets it apart from other regional porchettas, with Umbrians basing the stuffing on the plentiful wild fennel that grows there. In Lazio, rosemary tends to be the most prominent flavouring.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 kg of pork loin
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked
  • 250 gms of bacon lardons (smoked)
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
  • 4 large garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp of fennel seeds
  • 1 pinch of chilli flakes
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 2 tbsp of white wine
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions

1

When selecting the pork at the supermarket try and find a nice piece that has already been rolled and tied. It will make the entire process a lot easier for you.

2

Peel the garlic cloves and place in a pestle and mortar. Add the herbs, Lemon Zest, spices, salt, pepper and white wine and grind to a rough paste.

3

Place the pork loin skin-side down and thickly smear the herb paste across the exposed side. Trim the loin down to size so it rolls up neatly.

4

Roll up tightly, tie up with butcher's string and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight. This will dry out the skin, giving a crispier crackling

5

Before roasting, score the skin diagonally and push the bacon lardons onto the seams you have created.

6

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

7

Place the pork into the centre of the oven. Roast for 60 - 90 minutes depending on the size of your joint. Check at intervals, and baste as necessary

8

Cover with foil and leave to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

9

Slice and serve and enjoy

Notes

Resting the meat before serving is very important to this dish.

Accompaniments

If you want the full Italian Fest to accompany this dish try the following side dishes.Green Beans | From the Breadbasket of Italy | and the fabulously tasty  Grilled Aubergine | Deliciously Fresh and Simple |

 Wine Matching

Porchetta is a very highly flavoured dish due to the herbs and spices used in the stuffing. We chose a Christophe et Fils Chablis 2018. It’s a classic with most fish dishes, but it has enough body and strength to stand up to a little bit of chicken tandoori if you have a taste for it. it suits the Porchetta perfectly. Available from Naked Wines.

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2 Comments

  • Reply
    Maddie Kruger
    8th May 2019 at 5:36 pm

    Marc cooked us the Porchetta (my first foray with Pork)! I was a bit dubious but said I would give it a try. And am so glad I did! It was delicious and the crackling was amazing (also a first!!). Will definitely try and cook it myself. I’m now a convert to Pork.

    • Reply
      Marc Spendlove-Kruger
      9th May 2019 at 9:34 am

      So glad you enjoyed it – I felt it brought back memories of our holidays in Italy

    Leave a Reply to Marc Spendlove-Kruger Cancel reply