Caterina’s Video Recipe ~ Niko’s Porchetta

Watch Master Chef Niko prepare one of Italy’s most famous and exquisite dishes: nowadays rarely found even in Italy.

Niko’s Porchetta

Ingredients:

7.5kg whole suckling pig
2 kg minced pork shoulder
2 chopped onions
8 garlic cloves
3 handful fresh sage
3 handful fresh bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 handful fennel seeds
500 gms fresh chestnuts
1 litre white wine
1 litre water

Method:

Get your butcher to completely debone the pig leaving head intact and on

• Preheat oven to 180.C in order to roast chestnuts
• Slit chestnuts on one side and place in hot oven for 20-25 mins
• Wrap cooked chestnuts in newspaper to allow to sweat
• After 15 mins whilst still warm peel chestnuts removing both the shell and skin
• Chop roughly and set aside

• Place onions, garlic, sage, rosemary and fennel seeds in a food processor
• Blend to a paste and add along with the chestnuts to the pork mince
• Season with salt and pepper and amalgamate all ingredients by hand

• Lay pig flat and line deboned body with the bay leaves
• Form the mince into the shape of a sausage and place on top of pig
• Gently bring up both sides of the pig to secure filling
• Beginning at the tail, tie with string achieving the initial shape of the pig

• Preheat oven to 165.C
• In a large baking tray place water and wine
• Place a metal rack in tray above water line (so as to create a steam bath)
• Put suckling pig on rack, body side down and place in oven
• Cook for 90 mins
• Increase temperature to 220.C and cook for a further 45 mins to crisp skin

Serves 12 – 15 people