Tuscan-style porchetta with fennel, garlic and rosemary potatoes

Serves - 6 to 8

You’ll need

• 1.8–2kg boneless pork belly, skin on
• 700g boneless pork loin
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
• 2 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
• 1 small bunch sage, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sea salt, plus extra for the skin
• 2 tsp black pepper

For the potatoes
• 1kg potatoes, cut into chunky roast-sized pieces
• 2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the pork

Lay the pork belly skin-side down on a board. If it feels especially thick in places, you can level it out slightly with a sharp knife so it rolls more evenly. Sit the pork loin on top and check that, once rolled, it will fit neatly inside the belly. Trim if needed, but do not get too carried away – this is meant to look generous, not overly engineered.

2. Make the Tuscan-style seasoning

In a bowl, mix together the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, chopped rosemary, sage, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and black pepper. It should smell like it means business already, which is generally a good sign.

3. Season and roll the porchetta

Rub the seasoning mixture all over the flesh side of the pork belly and all over the pork loin. Sit the loin along the middle of the belly, then roll the pork belly tightly around it to form one large joint. Keep the skin on the outside and try to roll it as snugly as possible so it holds its shape properly once cooked.

4. Tie it properly

Tie the rolled porchetta at regular intervals with kitchen string. Start in the middle, then work your way out so the shape stays even. Do not be shy here – a properly tied porchetta cooks more neatly and carves far better later. Once tied, pat the skin dry and season it generously with extra sea salt.

5. Let the skin dry out a little

If you have time, leave the porchetta uncovered in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight. This helps dry the skin and gives you a much better chance of proper crackling. If you do not have time, carry on regardless, but do make sure the skin is as dry as possible before roasting.

6. Start the potatoes

Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Put the potatoes into a large pan of well-salted cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the edges are just starting to soften, then drain well and leave them to steam dry for a minute or two. Give them a little shake in the colander to rough up the edges. That scruffy exterior is exactly what helps them crisp up later.

7. Build the roasting tray

Tip the potatoes and fennel into a large roasting tray. Add the garlic, olive oil, chopped rosemary, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper, then toss everything together. Spread them out into an even layer and make a space in the middle for the porchetta.

8. Roast the porchetta

Sit the porchetta on top of the potatoes and fennel. Roast at 220°C fan for 30 minutes to get the skin blistering and crackling started, then turn the oven down to 170°C fan and cook for a further 2 to 2½ hours, depending on size, until the pork is cooked through and the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Turn the potatoes and fennel once or twice during cooking so they catch in the fat and juices properly.

9. Rest and finish

Lift the porchetta onto a board and leave it to rest for 20 minutes before carving. While it rests, return the tray to the oven if the potatoes need a little more colour. Squeeze over the lemon juice just before serving to sharpen everything up.

10. Carve and serve

Snip away the string, then carve the porchetta into thick slices so each piece gets a bit of crackling, some seasoned belly and a little of the loin in the middle. Serve with the fennel, garlic and rosemary potatoes alongside, making sure plenty of the tray juices make it onto the plate too.

A couple of helpful notes

- Ask your butcher for a boneless pork belly suitable for rolling and a piece of pork loin that will sit neatly inside it – it makes life much easier.
- Dry skin is the main thing when it comes to crackling, so do not skip the fridge step if you can help it.
- If the crackling needs more encouragement at the end, turn the oven back up for 10–15 minutes and keep a close eye on it.