STUFFED ROAST PORK

Known as porchetta in Italy, this pork dish has become a muchloved classic in Britain and is a great alternative to turkey for a festive meal. Boning, butterflying and stuffing the pork like this means the flavours go all through the meat, especially if you leave it to marinate for a couple of days. This is a crackling good dish!

Serves 6

3kg (6lb 8oz) piece of boned belly pork attached to the loin, butterflied and rind scored

1.5kg (3lb 5oz) potatoes, such as maris pipers, thickly sliced 1 onion, thickly sliced

Sea salt and black pepper

100ml (3½fl oz) white wine or cider

100ml (3½fl oz) chicken stock or water

For the filling

3tbsp finely chopped rosemary 1 thyme sprig, leaves only, finely chopped

1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled and crushed

1tbsp fennel seeds, crushed

1tsp chilli flakes

Zest of 1 lemon

50ml (2fl oz) white wine

For the filling, either put all the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until well combined – it doesn’t have to be smooth – or pound with a pestle and mortar. Season. Lay the pork out, skin-side down, and rub the filling over the meat. Roll it up as tightly as you can and secure at even intervals with butcher’s string. If you have time, leave the pork in the fridge, loosely wrapped in kitchen paper towel, overnight or for 2 nights. This gives the flavours time to permeate the meat and allows the skin to dry out.

An hour before you are ready to cook the pork, remove it from the fridge to come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2. Arrange the potatoes and onion slices on the base of a large roasting tin and season with salt. Pour the white wine or cider and the stock or water over them. Make sure the rind of the pork is dry and season with salt. Place the pork on top of the potatoes and onions. Cover with foil and put in the oven. Roast for 4 hours, until the pork is cooked fully.

Check with a meat thermometer – the internal temperature should be 68°C. Turn the oven to its highest setting and cook for 30 minutes to crisp up the skin. Remove from the oven and transfer the meat and potatoes to separate serving dishes. Leave the meat to rest for half an hour, uncovered, but keep the potatoes warm.