1 Preheat oven to 220°C. Place
pork skin-side up on a wire
rack in the sink, carefully pour
boiling kettle over skin to help
the score marks open, then
stand for 10 minutes to dry out.
Pat dry with paper towels.
2 Stir oil, garlic, crushed fennel
seeds, rosemary and lemon rind
in a bowl, season to taste, then
rub mixture over pork flesh.
Place skin-side up in a small
roasting pan lined with baking
paper, scatter skin generously
with sea salt flakes and roast
until skin starts to crackle and
brown (30-35 minutes). Reduce
oven to 180°C and roast until
tender when pierced with a
sharp knife (25-30 minutes).Leave to rest for 20 minutes,
then thinly slice meat and
crackling.
3 Drizzle the cut sides of
ciabatta rolls with olive oil, then
spread with mayonnaise. Top
bases with porchetta, crackling
and mustard fruit, and season to
taste. Toss fennel in a bowl with
lemon juice and olive oil to
taste, season to taste and pile
on top of filling, scatter with
rocket, sandwich with ciabatta
tops and serve.
Note Mustard fruit, or mostarda
di frutta, is an Italian condiment
of fruit preserved in mustard-
flavoured syrup and is from
select delicatessens and
supermarkets. ●Porchetta panini with fennel and mustard fruits
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 1 HOUR (PLUS RESTING)With crunchy crackling and melt-in-the-mouth meat, porchetta
is irresistible. Even more so when sandwiched in a ciabatta roll along
with crunchy fennel and mustard fruit to cut through the richness.1 kg boneless pork belly, skin
scored at 1cm intervals with
a very sharp knife
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,
plus extra for drizzling
and tossing
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp roasted fennel seeds,
crushed with a mortar
and pestle
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
Finely grated rind and juice
of ½ lemon
4 ciabatta rolls, halved
Mayonnaise and chopped
mustard fruit (see note),
to serve
1 baby fennel bulb, thinly
shaved on a mandoline,
fronds reserved
Wild rocket, to serveWith crunchy crackling and melt-in-the-mouth
meat, porchetta is irresistible.Porchetta panini
Brass Post Box
pepper grinder from
The DEA Store. All
other props stylist’s
own. Stockists
p175. Mozzarella in
carrozza All props
stylist’s own.