Rolled Porchetta with Fennel Pollen, Crackling and Sharp Salsa Verde

⏱ 330 min · Serves 8

A proper weekend showpiece: a slab of pork belly wrapped around its own loin, perfumed with fennel pollen, garlic and rosemary, slow-roasted until the meat shreds and the skin shatters like glass. A punchy caper-and-herb salsa verde cuts straight through the richness.

Per serving: 862 kcal · 54.0g protein · 3.0g carbs · 70.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2.5 kg boneless pork belly, skin on, with a 700g piece of pork loin attached or laid alongside
• 2 tbsp fennel pollen (or 2 tbsp toasted fennel seeds, ground)
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
• 3 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sage leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp flaky sea salt, plus extra for the skin
• 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (for the skin)
• 200 ml dry white wine
• 1 onion, thickly sliced
• Butcher's string
• For the salsa verde:
• 50 g flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 15 g mint leaves
• 15 g basil leaves
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 6 anchovy fillets in oil
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 150 ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Lay the pork belly skin-side up and, with a very sharp blade, score the skin at 1cm intervals, cutting through the skin but not into the fat. Turn over and score the flesh lightly in a criss-cross.
2. Mix the fennel pollen, crushed fennel seeds, garlic, rosemary, sage, chilli flakes, lemon zest, 3 tbsp flaky salt, pepper and olive oil into a paste. Rub it thoroughly over the flesh side only.
3. Lay the loin along one long edge, roll the belly tightly around it and tie firmly with butcher's string at 3cm intervals. Pat the skin bone dry, rub with the white wine vinegar and a generous scattering of salt. Leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (or at least 4 hours) to dry the skin.
4. Take the porchetta out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan. Scatter the onion in a roasting tin, sit the porchetta on top and pour the wine into the tin (never over the skin).
5. Roast for 30 minutes to blister the skin, then drop the heat to 150C/130C fan and cook for 3 to 3.5 hours, until a probe in the centre reads 75C and the meat feels yielding. Top up the tin with a splash of water if it dries out.
6. If the crackling isn't uniformly crisp, blast at 240C for a final 10-15 minutes, watching closely. Rest, loosely tented, for 30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the salsa verde: chop the herbs, capers, anchovies and garlic together on a board until fine (or pulse briefly in a processor). Stir in the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Season and loosen with more oil if needed.
8. Snip off the string, carve into thick slices with a serrated knife to keep the crackling intact, and serve with the salsa verde and the defatted pan juices.