Name: Stuffed porchetta with quick gremolata
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8-10 as part of a shared spread
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2kg porchetta* (ask your butcher to prepare and debone the pork belly plus loin for you,see note); sea salt flakes

Stuffed porchetta with gremolata.Katrina Meynink

Time:2 hours +Serves:8-10 as part of a shared spread

You can stuff,roll and cook this spectacular crackling-covered pork dish all on the same day. But you’ll get much crunchier crackling if you scatter salt flakes generously over the skin and let the stuffed and rolled pork sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. Plus:less to do on Christmas Day.

Remember to remove the pork from the fridge at least 30-45 minutes before cooking it so it begins to come to room temperature.

Ingredients

2kg porchetta* (ask your butcher to prepare and debone the pork belly plus loin for you,see note)
sea salt flakes

Stuffing

3 eschalots (French shallots),peeled and chopped
½ head fennel,roughly chopped (reserve the frondsfor the salad)
4 garlic cloves
6-8 anchovies
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley,chopped
1 scant tbsp capers
½ cup smoked tomatoes (or sun-dried tomatoes)
3 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan

Gremolata

leaves from 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley,roughly chopped
juice and zest of ½ large lemon
½ tbsp capers
2 garlic cloves,roughly chopped
about ¼ cup olive oil (you may need a little more or little less)

Method

Step1
Place the pork on a board skin-side-down. Addthe stuffing ingredients to a food processor or blender and give them a quick pulse. You still want texture so don’t pulse to a paste-like consistency. Distribute the mixture over the inside of the pork.
Step2
Roll the pork lengthways,and,using butchers’ twine,tie the meat at roughly 2.5cm intervals so the roll stays intact during cooking. Season the skin with sea salt flakes and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight,if possible. Remove the pork from the fridge up to 45 minutes before roasting and wipe the salt from the skin.
Step3
Season the skin with sea salt flakes and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight,if possible. Remove the pork from the fridge up to 45 minutes before roasting and wipe the salt from the skin.
Step4
Preheat the oven to 220C fan-forced (240C conventional). Place the porchetta on a rack inside a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 150C fan-forced (170C conventional) and cook for 2.5-3 hours. If the skin isn’t as crunchy as you would like,turn the broil or grill function on your oven to medium and watch it like a hawk – you don’t want it to burn. As soon as you see the skin puff and change,remove the pork from the heat.
Step5
Let the pork rest for 15-20 minutes.
Step6
While the pork is resting,make the gremolata by adding the ingredients to a food processor and blitzing until just combined. Taste and adjust seasoning,adding oil as needed.
Step7
To serve,remove the string and cut the pork into thick slices using a serrated knife. Scatter over some of the gremolata and serve the extra gremolata alongside for people to help themselves