FOR OUR UMBRIAN REUNION DINNER, IT SEEMED ONLY FITTING TO REMINISCE WHILE EATING UMBRIA'S REGIONAL SPECIALITY, PORCHETTA, WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN BUTCHERS, SUPERMARKETS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND FROM FOOD TRUCKS EVERYWHERE. PORCHETTA IS A SLAB OF PORK BELLY (UNSMOKED, UNCURED BACON) WHICH IS SLATHERED IN SOME COMBINATION OF GARLIC, ONIONS, ROSEMARY, AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO THROW IN THERE. WITH WILD FENNEL ALL OVER THE PLACE, I OPTED FOR ROSEMARY PLUS FENNEL FRONDS, GARLIC, ONIONS, AND LEMON ZEST. THE TRICKIEST PART IS ROLLING AND TYING IT. MOVING ON, PLACE IT ON A RACK IN A LOW OVEN AND ROAST SLOWLY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THIS NOT ONLY RENDS THE FAT BUT FILLS YOUR KITCHEN WITH THE MOUTH-WATERING SCENT OF PORK FAT, ROSEMARY, AND GARLIC. INCREDIBILMENTE DELIZIOSO!
HEAT OVEN TO 300º.
LAY THE PORK BELLY DOWN, FAT SIDE UP, ON YOUR WORK SURFACE. USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE (I USE A SUSHI KNIFE), MAKE A LIGHT CROSS-HATCH PATTERN ON THE FAT. SEASON GENEROUSLY WITH SALT AND PEPPER.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. PEEL AND TRIM THE RED ONION. STRIP THE NEEDLES FROM THE ROSEMARY SPRIGS. STRIP FEATHERY LEAVES FROM THE FENNEL. PEEL THE ZEST FROM THE LEMON.
PLACE ALL THE ABOVE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. PULSE A COUPLE OF TIMES TO ROUGHLY CHOP INGREDIENTS. THEN, ADD ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF GOOD OLIVE OIL. PULSE SEVERAL MORE TIMES TILL THE MIXTURE BECOMES A ROUGH PASTE. DON'T OVERDO IT. YOU WANT SOME TEXTURE TO THE STUFFING.
CUT 4 TO 6 LENGTHS OF BUTCHER'S TWINE AND LAY THEM DOWN ON YOUR WORK SURFACE. PLACE THE PORK BELLY OVER THE STRINGS, FAT SIDE DOWN.
SMEAR THE MIXTURE ON THE PORK BELLY, LEAVING ABOUT 1/2 CUP.
ROLL THE PORK BELLY. TIE THE CENTER STRING FIRST, THEN THE ENDS. USE AS MANY STRINGS AS YOU NEED TO MAKE A TIGHT, NEAT ROLL.
SLATHER OUTSIDE OF THE PORCHETTA WITH THE REST OF THE STUFFING MIX.
PLACE THE PORCHETTA ON A FOLDING RACK (I USED A DUCK RACK) INSIDE A ROASTING PAN IN THE OVEN.
ROAST FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS. CHECK THE TEMPERATURE WITH A MEAT THERMOMETER. IT SHOULD BE AROUND 150º, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY PINK IN THE CENTER.
WHILE THE PORCHETTA IS ROASTING, TRIM THE ENDS OFF THE ENDIVE AND TREVISO. CUT LENGTHWISE IN HALF.
REMOVE PORCHETTA FROM THE RACK. POUR OFF ALL BUT ABOUT 1/3 CUP OF THE FAT. TOSS IN THE ROASTING PAN WITH ENDIVE AND TREVISO. SALT AND PEPPER. RETURN TO THE OVEN.
RAISE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 400º AND ROAST ENDIVE AND TREVISO FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, TOSSING OCCASIONALLY WITH TONGS UNTIL THEY ARE WILTED. ARRANGE AROUND THE PORCHETTA BEFORE SERVING.
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
Directions
HEAT OVEN TO 300º.
LAY THE PORK BELLY DOWN, FAT SIDE UP, ON YOUR WORK SURFACE. USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE (I USE A SUSHI KNIFE), MAKE A LIGHT CROSS-HATCH PATTERN ON THE FAT. SEASON GENEROUSLY WITH SALT AND PEPPER.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. PEEL AND TRIM THE RED ONION. STRIP THE NEEDLES FROM THE ROSEMARY SPRIGS. STRIP FEATHERY LEAVES FROM THE FENNEL. PEEL THE ZEST FROM THE LEMON.
PLACE ALL THE ABOVE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. PULSE A COUPLE OF TIMES TO ROUGHLY CHOP INGREDIENTS. THEN, ADD ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF GOOD OLIVE OIL. PULSE SEVERAL MORE TIMES TILL THE MIXTURE BECOMES A ROUGH PASTE. DON'T OVERDO IT. YOU WANT SOME TEXTURE TO THE STUFFING.
CUT 4 TO 6 LENGTHS OF BUTCHER'S TWINE AND LAY THEM DOWN ON YOUR WORK SURFACE. PLACE THE PORK BELLY OVER THE STRINGS, FAT SIDE DOWN.
SMEAR THE MIXTURE ON THE PORK BELLY, LEAVING ABOUT 1/2 CUP.
ROLL THE PORK BELLY. TIE THE CENTER STRING FIRST, THEN THE ENDS. USE AS MANY STRINGS AS YOU NEED TO MAKE A TIGHT, NEAT ROLL.
SLATHER OUTSIDE OF THE PORCHETTA WITH THE REST OF THE STUFFING MIX.
PLACE THE PORCHETTA ON A FOLDING RACK (I USED A DUCK RACK) INSIDE A ROASTING PAN IN THE OVEN.
ROAST FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS. CHECK THE TEMPERATURE WITH A MEAT THERMOMETER. IT SHOULD BE AROUND 150º, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY PINK IN THE CENTER.
WHILE THE PORCHETTA IS ROASTING, TRIM THE ENDS OFF THE ENDIVE AND TREVISO. CUT LENGTHWISE IN HALF.
REMOVE PORCHETTA FROM THE RACK. POUR OFF ALL BUT ABOUT 1/3 CUP OF THE FAT. TOSS IN THE ROASTING PAN WITH ENDIVE AND TREVISO. SALT AND PEPPER. RETURN TO THE OVEN.
RAISE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 400º AND ROAST ENDIVE AND TREVISO FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, TOSSING OCCASIONALLY WITH TONGS UNTIL THEY ARE WILTED. ARRANGE AROUND THE PORCHETTA BEFORE SERVING.
SERVES 4-6
