Tasty

Porchetta

First appeared in Grainews in October 2019

A traditional porchetta means the whole porker, roasted on a spit, seasoned with chopped garlic, olives, fennel, and rosemary. The same lush result on a smaller scale is possible in the oven with a shoulder roast. Start with a large cut: it will be a hit, and leftovers are fabulous. Adapted from Judy Rodgers’ The Zuni Café Cookbook.

Serves 4-6

1

pork shoulder roast, boneless

1

head garlic, chopped

2

lemons, zest only

cracked fennel seed

chopped capers to taste

fresh rosemary to taste, chopped

oil-cured olives to taste, pitted and chopped

olive oil to taste

salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Lay the pork shoulder on a flat surface, peeling back the seams to expose crevices and crannies. Mix together all the other ingredients, then smear and cram and tuck all over the exposed surfaces and into all available crevices. Roll the roast up, tie it with butcher twine and preheat the oven to 325 F. Put a bit of water in the bottom of the pan and roast to medium, at an internal temperature of 180 F for fall-apart tender meat. Let the roast rest at least 15 minutes before carving.

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