Pork Roast in Porchetta Style

The pork roast ‘in porchetta’ is a traditional dish of Italian cuisine that recreates the flavors of porchetta, a typical rustic preparation of pork, in a simpler and more manageable way for home cooking. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of pork loin
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 glass of white wine
• Wild fennel (if available)
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 4-5 sage leaves
• Whole black peppercorns
• Coarse salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sliced cured ham or bacon (optional)

Preparation

1. Take the pork loin and make deep cuts in the meat.
2. Prepare a mixture with rosemary, garlic, sage, wild fennel, and lemon zest, add whole peppercorns and coarse salt, and mix well.
3. Fill the cuts in the meat with the mixture and if you have some cured ham or bacon available, wrap the meat with it. If you want to skip this step, just massage the outside of the meat with the herb mixture.
4. Tie up the loin with kitchen twine to keep its shape.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
6. In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and brown the loin on all sides to seal in the juices.
7. Deglaze with the glass of white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
8. Transfer the loin to a baking dish and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, occasionally checking and basting with the pan juices.
9. Once cooked, let the faux porchetta rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Serve it hot, perhaps with a side of roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Curiosity

The actual porchetta is generally associated with the Umbria and Lazio regions in Italy, where it is often prepared using whole pigs, but this “domestic” version uses more manageable parts and can be made in a home oven, still offering a flavor very similar to the original.