Rolled porchetta with pistachios, fennel and lemon
Author: Maldon Salt, www.maldonsalt.co.uk
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2kg pork belly, boneless
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 lemon, zested
- 50g pistachios, finely chopped
- 10g sage, finely chopped
- 15g parsley, finely chopped
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
- Maldon salt and cracked black pepper
Method
- Begin by preparing your pork. Score the skin of the pork belly with a knife in lines at an angle across the whole skin, then place in the fridge uncovered overnight - this will help dry out the moisture in the skin and ensure you have crispy crackling.
- Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Fry the onion in olive oil with a pinch of Maldon salt for 5 mins until softened. Add the crushed garlic and fennel seeds, and fry for another 2 mins. Remove from the heat and tip into a bowl to cool. Once cooled add the lemon zest, chopped pistachios, sage, parsley, breadcrumbs and season with Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Remove the pork from the fridge and place it on a board skin side down, and then cover the flesh with your stuffing mixture. Using butchers string, carefully roll your meat and bind together in 3 or 4 places tightly to keep it in a roll.
- Place the rolled joint onto a baking tray and drizzle the skin with olive oil, rubbing it in and then sprinkle liberally with Maldon salt. Place the tray into your preheated oven for 30 mins until the crackling is crispy and golden. Turn your oven down to 180C/Gas 4 and cook for a further 2 hours (tip: If the crackling begins to look a little too dark, cover it with some foil).
- Remove your porchetta from the oven and rest for 20 mins before serving.
