The Ultimate Italian Porchetta
Porchetta is a staple at Italian feasts and our version is stuffed with fruit and nuts for a seasonal touch.
Hands-on time 15min, plus coming up to room temperature, cooling and resting. Cooking time about 3hr. Serves 10-12
● 3kg pork loin with belly attached, skin on and scored, boned and butterflied
● 4tbsp cider vinegar
● 1tbsp sea salt flakes
FOR THE STUFFING
● Small knob of butter
● 1 onion, finely chopped
● 150g cubed pancetta
● 10g rosemary, leaves only, chopped
● 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
● 2tbsp fennel seeds, lightly bashed using a pestle and mortar
● 100g pitted prunes, chopped
● 75g pine nuts
● 100ml white wine
● 50g fresh breadcrumbs
● Finely grated zest 1 lemon
YOU’LL ALSO NEED
● Kitchen string
1 Remove pork from fridge about 1hr before cooking to allow it to come up to room temperature. Place skin-side up on a wire rack in the sink and carefully pour over a kettle-full of just-boiled water, followed by the vinegar. Allow to cool slightly. Pat dry with kitchen paper, rub the skin with ½tbsp flaked sea salt and
transfer the pork to a baking sheet to dry. Set aside.
2 To make stuffing, melt butter in a pan over low-medium heat and fry onion gently for 8-10min, until just softened. Increase heat, add pancetta; cook for 5min, until just crisp. Add rosemary, garlic, 1tbsp fennel seeds, prunes, pine nuts, wine and breadcrumbs; cook for 2min, then remove from heat. Stir through lemon zest, season and allow to cool.
3 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. Set the pork skin-side down, spread stuffing over top and roll up from a long edge. Secure in a couple of places with string and transfer, seam down, to a large foil-lined roasting tin (adding back any stuffing that might have fallen out). Rub over remaining salt and fennel seeds; cook for 30min.
4 Reduce heat to 160°C (140°C fan) mark 3 and continue cooking for 2hr, until cooked through. Remove from oven and leave to rest for 20min before slicing.
PER SERVING (if serving 12) 764cals, 52g protein, 58g fat (20g saturates), 6g carbs (4g total sugars), 1g fibre
TO STORE Cool, wrap and chill for up to 3 days. To serve warm, reheat wrapped in foil in an oven preheated to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 until piping hot, or reheat slices in frying pan.