Porchetta with Sage and Hazelnuts
Porchetta is a dramatic dish presenting a beautiful golden roll of crisp-skinned, boneless pork that looks impressive on the plate. The breadcrumbs are optional but do absorb a lot of the cooking juices, giving a juicer piece of pork. You can make the porchetta using pork belly, or you can purchase a porchetta already seasoned and trussed for a really easy impressive dish. The fat rendered from the pork is used to roast crisp, crunchy and tasty potatoes. Great with fermented cabbage, coleslaw or other brassicas serve with a medium bodied red wine, such as tempranillo or sangiovese.
Serves 8-10
2 kg free range pork belly, boned OR 2 kg seasoned porchetta
1 tablespoon sea salt
I teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 slice sourdough bread, crumbed
100g roasted hazelnuts, ground
extra virgin olive oil
extra smoked salt
16 kipfler potatoes
¾ cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons cooking salt
Start preparing the porchetta 8-12 hours before beginning roasting. Begin by placing the pork belly skin down and scoring the flesh with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. This stops the porchetta from twisting as it roasts. Rub the flesh with the salt, pepper and garlic. Sprinkle over the sage, hazelnuts and breadcrumbs. Press down with palms of your hands. Roll the belly lengthways to make a tube-like shape. Using butcher’s string, truss the porchetta tightly. Place on a rack on a baking tray and place in the fridge uncovered for 8-12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan). Rub the skin with oil and a liberal pinch of smoked salt. Place the porchetta in the middle rack of the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 160°C (150°C fan) and roast for a further 2 hours. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and boil in a large saucepan with the vinegar and cooking salt for 20 minutes or until just cooked through. Drain. After 2 hours of roasting, carefully pour off the rendered pork fat into another roasting tray and place the potatoes in the fat. Return the porchetta and potatoes to the oven, turn to 240°C (220°C fan) and cook the porchetta for a further 10 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove and allow to rest in a warm place. Turn the potatoes. When browned, remove from the oven. Remove string from porchetta, slice and serve with potatoes.
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Porchetta with Sage and Hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 2 kg free range pork belly, boned OR 2 kg seasoned porchetta
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- I teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1 slice sourdough bread, crumbed
- 100g roasted hazelnuts, ground
- extra virgin olive oil
- extra smoked salt
- 16 kipfler potatoes
- ¾ cup white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cooking salt
Instructions
- Start preparing the porchetta 8-12 hours before beginning roasting. Begin by placing the pork belly skin down and scoring the flesh with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. This stops the porchetta from twisting as it roasts. Rub the flesh with the salt, pepper and garlic. Sprinkle over the sage, hazelnuts and breadcrumbs. Press down with palms of your hands. Roll the belly lengthways to make a tube-like shape. Using butcher’s string, truss the porchetta tightly. Place on a rack on a baking tray and place in the fridge uncovered for 8-12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan). Rub the skin with oil and a liberal pinch of smoked salt. Place the porchetta in the middle rack of the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 160°C (150°C fan) and roast for a further 2 hours. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and boil in a large saucepan with the vinegar and cooking salt for 20 minutes or until just cooked through. Drain. After 2 hours of roasting, carefully pour off the rendered pork fat into another roasting tray and place the potatoes in the fat. Return the porchetta and potatoes to the oven, turn to 240°C (220°C fan) and cook the porchetta for a further 10 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove and allow to rest in a warm place. Turn the potatoes. When browned, remove from the oven. Remove string from porchetta, slice and serve with potatoes.