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Ingredients (makes 12 servings):
- 1 medium size skinless Pork belly
(approx. 7-8 pounds)
- 1/2 pound cured, seasoned fat
back or cured guanciale (pork cheek),
sliced
- 1 caul pound fat
- 5 gloves red garlic
- 10 springs rosemary
- 10 bay leaves
- 10 juniper berries
- 1 cup chopped fennel
- 1 dozen large italian dried figs
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- 1 cup extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1 bottle white wine
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- salt, pepper and hot pepper to
taste
- 4 red onions
- 4 carrots
- 1 bunch celery
- butcher's twine
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Preparation
Chop the garlic, rosemary, juniper and bay leaves
until you have a fine blend of seasoning, place
the pork belly on a cutting board, open it and
trim it into a rectangular shape, sprinkle with
salt, pepper and hot pepper, and the seasoning
mixture, cover with the fat and arrange the wild
fennel, dry figs in the middle of the belly in
a line. Submerge caul fat in water and rinse it
until it is soft and easy to use. Roll the belly,
close it firmly and, wrap the roll with the caul
fat and tie with butcher's string to close.
Put the oil, onions, carrots and celery roughly
cut, into a roasting pan, put it on the flame
and when temperature is high place the belly on
top of it. Let it braise for a while moving the
meat and turning it frequently. When the belly
gets lightly browned, add the balsamic vinegar
and 1/2 of the red wine. Put the roasting pan
into the oven at 350°F for about 2 hours,
add the rest of the red wine after one hour and
turn the belly in the pan every 30 minutes.
When it is done, remove the belly form the pan.
Transfer the sauce and the vegetables to a food
processor and puree it. Transfer the puree to
a saucepan over medium heat, add the white wine,
and cook, until reduces to sauce consistency.
Slice the Porchetta and pour the sauce on top
of each slide before you serve it.
Note: You can also serve it room temperature
for a great sandwiches!!
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courtesy
of Chef Lorenzo Polegri
