Meltingly tender meat plus crackling. What’s not to love?
Score a nice piece of pork belly, roll it with herbs and garlic then roast in a hot oven... if you love crackling, this is heaven.
Traditionally, porchetta is a whole boned young pig, rolled with herbs and garlic then roasted. The most practical option for a home cook is to use pork belly. You’ll get meltingly tender meat with good crackling.
PORCHETTA WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES
2-3kg free-range whole pork belly, bones removed and skin scored well
Handful each of fresh rosemary, thyme and sage leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 bulbs fennel, quartered
6 medium carrots
Heat oven to 200C (fan). Lie pork belly flat on a work surface, skin side down. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Sprinkle herbs, fennel seeds, chilli and garlic over pork. Carefully roll up the belly, then tie very tightly with string in the middle of the roll. Continue to tie string along the pork at 4cm intervals. Brush all over with olive oil, season well with salt and transfer the pork, seam downwards, to a large roasting tin. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn oven down to 140C (fan) and cover meat with foil. Roast for another 2½-3 hours, adding the fennel and carrots to the tin after 2 hours. Toss the veg in the pan to coat in the cooking juices. When meat and veg are cooked, turn oven to low and keep everything warm for 10 minutes. To serve, slice and serve with roasted veg and sautéed Brussels sprouts. Serves 6-8
SAUTEED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
18 Brussels sprouts
2 rashers streaky bacon
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Trim sprouts and add to a saucepan of boiling salted water. Simmer for 3-4 minutes (until just tender) then drain and run under cold water; halve them lengthways. Chop the bacon. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and add the bacon and chilli. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes; add sprouts. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until coloured and tender. Serves 6 as a side
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