Porchetta with dried peach and thyme recipe

Details

• Cuisine: Italian
• Recipe Type: Roast
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 210 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (428°F)/fan 200°C (392°F).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small frying pan. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Tip the cooked onion into a small mixing bowl and add the breadcrumbs, peaches and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Using a sharp knife or a clean Stanley knife, score the pork belly skin at 2cm (0.8 inch) intervals in a criss-cross fashion. Rub 1 tablespoon of sea salt over the skin, then turn the belly over and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the stuffing down the centre of the meat lengthways.
4. Roll the belly tightly, securing the sides neatly together with kitchen string. Put the tied pork belly on a wire rack in a roasting tin.
5. Roast the pork in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Turn the oven down to 180°C (356°F)/fan 160°C (320°F) and continue cooking for 2–2.5 hours. If the skin hasn’t crisped enough by then, turn the oven back up to 220°C (428°F)/fan 200°C (392°F) and crisp the skin for a further 20 minutes, taking care to not burn it.
7. Remove the meat from the oven and leave the joint to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes or so before carving.