“Porchetta da latte al forno con Patate Arrosto”
By Chef Alessandro Di Maggio
Chef Alessandro DiMaggio is a native of France, but is a part of a large Italian family with origins from Sicily and Tuscany. This recipe for a roasted suckling pig has a lot of ingredient derivatives from traditional Sicilian cooking. Red wine, of course, is a very popular libation amongst a meal with loved ones, but it’s also used within the recipes themselves. Sicilian seasoning often has herbs fennel, thyme, and garlic, all which are used within this delicious recipe. Of course, a Sicilian spice blend is delicious on vegetables, pasta, and complements a red sauce like nothing else will!
The secret to cooking succulent pork is to cook it for a longer period of time at a lower temperature. It will keep the meat tender and juicy. You can also try a marinade prior to cooking. Olive oil and garlic pair amazingly with pork. Allow the pork to rest in the marinade for up to four hours, or even better, overnight in the fridge. After you pull the meat from the oven or grill, always, always, always allow the meat to rest for about 15 minutes. It allows the juices within the pork to spread, settle and absorb into the meat. If you cut too soon, the juices will drain and can cause the meat to become dry.
Enjoy this traditional recipe, from my family to yours.
INGREDIENTS:
Baby Whole Pig ( deboned ) about 16lbs
(Striplings General Store)
1 cup of red wine
Kosher salt, whole black pepper
5 Garlic clove, 1 oz. nutmeg
4 oz. wild Fennel seed, 4 Fresh Oranges
Rosemary and Thyme (The Veggie Patch)
Extra virgin oil (The Olive Basket)
DIRECTIONS:
- Clean, debone and empty the Pork belly.
- Chop together the herbs, the Fennel seeds and garlic. Place in a mixing bowl. Add some salt and pepper, the nutmeg and a little red wine.
- Stuff the Whole Pig with the stuffing and the oranges cut in half.
- Tie the whole Pig with a string.
- Put the whole pig in a cooking tray and grease the meat entirely with some extra virgin olive oil.
- Cook in the Oven at 220 degrees for 3 Hours, adding the remaining red wine once in awhile.
- The skin has to be golden and crispy.
- Let it cool down a little and serve it with rosemary roasted Potatoes.
I have been working in the kitchen since I was 14 and I really feel fortunate to work and to be able to create and spend most of my life doing something I really love: The Art of Cooking. Chef is co-owner of the Watkinsville location.
