Porchetta Panini Food

PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the pancetta in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Transfer to a bowl and mix in by hand the garlic, citrus zests, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, capers and 2 tablespoons salt until thoroughly blended.
• Put the ham flesh-side up on a cutting board and score the meat with the tip of a sharp knife every inch or so in a cross-hatch pattern. Rub the pancetta paste into the meat, making sure to get it into the score marks. Flip the ham over and score the skin with the knife as you did the flesh. Roll the ham up skin-side out and secure with kitchen twine. Season the skin lightly with salt.
• Put the pork in a roasting pan and transfer to the oven to roast for 2 hours.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F and the skin is nice and crisp, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the porchetta before serving.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PORCHETTA RECIPE | PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Lay the pork skin side down on a work surface, with a sharp knife make a few slits in the flesh.
• Make a lengthwise slit on the tenderloin.
• In a small bowl, mix together the sage, rosemary, garlic, 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the mixture over the exposed surface of the belly, working it into the cuts in the flesh.
• Spread some of the of the mixture in the slit of the tenderloin.
• Generously sprinkle the fennel pollen over the belly and tenderloin.
• Position the tenderloin in the middle of the pork belly.
• Roll up the pork belly around the tenderloin and tie with butcher's twine.
• Place in a roasting pan. Make some slits in the skin with a sharp knife, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place the pan in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. The juices should run clear when pierced with a knife.
• Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes, loosely tented with foil. Slice and serve.

PORCHETTA (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PORK ROAST)

Steps:

• Open the piece of pork onto the butcher paper or clean countertop, skin side down.
• Sprinkle generously with the salt, then work the salt into the pork.
• Next, add the rosemary. We used fresh rosemary as I have a bush in my garden. Rub it and crush it between your fingers to release the oils.Add the freshly ground black pepper all over the porchetta. Now add the fennel pollen. Sprinkle evenly over the pork, but save a little of the pollen for after the porchetta has been rolled.
• Roll it tightly, but as you roll it, sprinkly some salt onto the unseasoned pork. Continue rolling until you reach the end.
• Keeping the seam side down, start tying the pork. Another pair of hands will make this part immensely easier. There's no need for fancy ties or sailors' knots, just wrap, double knot and cut.
• Repeat every few inches. The goal is only to keep the porchetta closed, so don't tie it too tightly, either. As you can see, ours is far from perfect, but unless you're serving the Queen of England, it won't matter.
• Turn the roast seam side up and add more seasonings, including the rest of the fennel pollen to the non-skin parts of the pork which are exposed (including the ends).
• Place seam side down on a rack on a roasting pan or baking tray. Cover the ends with aluminum foil and secure with toothpicks.
• Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the skin with your hands. Sprinkle with more salt and rosemary.
• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
• Place in the hot oven when it comes to temperature and roast for 1 hour, then lower the temperature to 350°F (170°C) and continue to cook for about another 2 hours. Check the center of the roast when it reaches 170°F (76°C) remove from the oven. Take the foil off the ends and place on top of the porchetta, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, remove one or two of the pieces of twine. Cut into slices and serve on crusty Italian rolls, or bread, Italian style!

EASY PORCHETTA

Steps:

• *See step-by-step pictures in blog post for visual reference.If using a pork belly: Lay it skin side down and rub the top side down with the seasonings. Then roll up the belly and tie it with twine to secure it. If using a roast: Lay the roast down and make several cuts into it lengthwise leaving the meat attached at the one side. Each slice should be roughly 1/2 inch or so thick. (Think of the pork roast looking like a book with "pages" of sliced meat that are attached at the binding.) Rub down the exterior of the roast with the salt as well as inside each layer.Note: With a well-marbled roast you won't be able to get precise slices and that's okay, just do your best and rub the spices/herbs in the crevices.
• Fold open the first slice/layer and generously sprinkle with the fennel, pepper, herbs, lemon zest and garlic. Continue to fold over the slices and sprinkle the spices/herbs between each slice. Rub down the exterior of the roast with some of the crushed fennel and pepper.Use kitchen twine to tie the roast.At this point you can cover and chill the roast until you're ready to cook it. It's a great make-ahead dish and can be prepared a day ahead.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Place a tablespoon or two of oil in a large heavy skillet (I prefer cast iron for this) and heat the skillet on the stove. When it's good and hot place the roast in the skillet. It should sizzle and sputter.Use hot pads to carefully lift the hot skillet and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 1 hour and then, moving quickly to avoid too much heat escaping, turn the roast over and continue to cook for another hour. If the roast seems dry and the pan juices have evaporated add 1/4cup or so of broth or water to the bottom of the skillet.Turn the roast over a final time and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 185 F if using pork belly or 145-150 F if using a pork roast.The roast should be beautifully browned and caramelized.Remove the porchetta from the skillet, place on a platter and tent with foil for a few minutes.Note: If you like you can make a delicious pan sauce from the drippings in the skillet. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium high heat, pour in a little white wine and whisk to scrape the bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add a little broth or water and simmer for a few minutes.
• Enjoy the porchetta sliced and served with the pan sauce spooned over it along with mashed potatoes or polenta and vegetables.Or slice the porchetta and serve it on crispy Italian bread for sandwiches. This makes great leftovers!To reheat leftovers: Place the sliced porchetta in a covered microwave-safe dish to retain the moisture and microwave until heated through.

PORCHETTA

Steps:

• After blanching the pork belly in salted water, pat dry and use a Fork to puncture the skin multiple times to draw out moisture. On a hotel pan, spread out the garlic and thyme and place the belly skin side up. Cover the skin with salt and allow to sit overnight.
• Next day - wipe away the salt thoroughly. Season the inside with the garlic powder, maple powder, chili flakes, salt, and lemon juice. Use a butcher twine to roll the belly tie into a cylinder.
• Bake in a convection oven at 425 degrees, for 30 minutes, then pat the skin dry. Turn over to 350 and cook for another 90 minutes of until internal temperature hits 135 degrees.

PORCHETTA PANINI

Steps:

• For the Salsa Verde:
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl, tossing until thoroughly mixed.
• For Assembly:
• Lightly toast the flatbread in oven. Smear 4 of the flatbread pieces with 1/3 cup Salsa Verde. Layer with sliced porchetta, fontina, arugula and onions. Cover with remaining flatbreqd. Press in Panini press until melted. Serve.

PORCHETTA PANINI

Steps:

• For the Salsa Verde: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, tossing until thoroughly mixed.
• For Assembly: Lightly toast the flatbread in oven. Smear 4 of the flatbread pieces with 1/3 cup Salsa Verde. Layer with sliced porchetta, fontina, arugula and onions. Cover with remaining flatbreqd. Press in Panini press until melted. Serve.