Pork scratchings sandwich with apple and cabbage slaw

The ultimate bar snack, pork scratchings make a fine sandwich to go with drinks. Here, spiced pork scratchings come together with garlicky aïoli and a crunchy slaw in a hard-to-beat snack. Start this recipe a day ahead to dry out the pork skin.

PREP TIME: 30 min; cooks 1hr 20 min (plus drying) Makes 4

• 1 piece pork belly skin

(about 800g)

• 1 tbsp white vinegar

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground fennel seeds

• softened butter, for spreading

• 8 thick slices seeded sourdough

• aïoli (homemade mayo), to serve

For the apple and cabbage slaw

• 300g savoy cabbage, shaved

• 2 small granny smith apples, cored and julienned

• ¼ small spanish onion, thinly sliced

• 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped flatleaf parsley

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped mint

1. Put the pork skin on a wire rack, place a tray under it and refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry out.

2. Preheat oven to 140ºC. Rub skin with vinegar, slice into thin strips and arrange on the wire rack in a roasting pan so they’re not touching. Roast, turning occasionally, until fat renders (50 min to 1 hour), then increase oven temperature to 200ºC and roast until crisp and browned (15-20 min).

3. Dry-roast spices in a saucepan until fragrant (30-40 seconds), then season scratchings to taste with spice mix and salt. 4. For the apple and cabbage slaw, combine ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

5. To serve, butter the bread and spread the aïoli on half the slices. Top with pork scratchings, then slaw. Sandwich with remaining slices, and serve.

Note: Pork belly skin is available from some supermarkets, or order them ahead from your butcher.