This roast pork has always been a special part of my Christmas lunch. By the time it comes out, everyone is usually gathered by the table, the prawns are done and there is a little bit of Nonni’s ravioli left.
Ingredients
1 bottle prosecco (to drink), maybe 2
1 large bone of pork belly, rind on
1 pork loin (brined overnight in 2% salt water solution with rosemary and fennel seeds)
Few sprigs rosemary
Salt, to taste
Salad
1 red cabbage finely sliced
1 white cabbage as above
1 bunch dill washed, tickled and torn
2 punnets blueberries whole or halved
4 apples cored and cleaved
2 red onions sliced
Dressing
250ml aged chardonnay vinegar
350ml Dijon mustard
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
Take your knife and score the pork skin through the fat all over the belly diagonally.
Pick some rosemary from the backyard, remove leaves and blend with salt until green and fragrant.
Remove pork loin from brine, pat dry and season with the rosemary salt. Rub rosemary salt all over the skin of the belly and the underside, making sure the skin is packed with the salt.
Lay loin on the underside of belly horizontally and roll end to end. Truss with strong butcher’s twine.
Once rolled and trussed, place on a large roasting tray in the fridge overnight. Preparing a day in advance will help the crackle develop on the porchetta and make you feel less stressed on the big day.
On Christmas morning (usually around 7:30am), pre-heat the oven to 150C and roast the pork for 5 hours covered with foil (or until an internal temp of 63C).
Remove foil and increase temperature to 250C for 12 minutes to work on the crackle.
To serve: Toss all the salad ingredients in a bowl with dressing, carve the meat and serve.
Now, siediti, stai zitto e mangia (sit down, shut up and eat)! Buon natale.