ONE MAN’S KITCHEN
VINCE PUCCI
Experience succulent Italian Porchetta
On my last visit to Italy, I spent five days in
the Abruzzi region located in the central area of the Italian peninsula. One of the highlights of my visit was
sampling delicious porchetta, served in a crusty Italian bun. The meat was succulent, very tender and seasoned just right; the skin was crackling and deliciously crisp. Although it’s popular throughout the Italian
peninsula, with variations from region to region, porchetta from central Italy is the most widely revered. A typical cultural Italian “street food”, it can
be found being served from street carts and food huts, cafés, and trattorias all over the country, and popping up at festivals. In some towns there is even a “fiesta” to celebrate the mighty porchetta. Porchetta is also often found on the midnight buffet tables at large Italian weddings. Traditionally, porchetta is a whole suckling
pig, fully deboned (except for the head) and stuffed with its own entrails and various fresh herbs and spices. It is slow-roasted until it is moist and succulent and the skin is deliciously crisp. Today, porchetta can refer to any cut of pork
prepared and cooked in the style of the original. Examples of this are “Tronchetto di Porchetta” (made from the center, or trunk, of the hog) and “Spalla alla Porchetta” (pork shoulder made in the style of porchetta).
PORK SHOULDER ALLA PORCHETTA (TRADITIONAL RECIPE): 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (skin on) 3 leafy sprigs rosemary, stemmed 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons fennel 2 teaspoons medium coarse sea salt 2 teaspoons freshly-cracked black pepper Red chili pepper (to taste) • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
30 BOUNDER MAGAZINE
Combine the salt, fennel seed, and black pepper. Rub cut side well with mixture. Spread garlic and rosemary over the cut side and rub in well, making sure it is spread evenly. Roll the pork into a tube shape, and use butcher’s twine to tie the roast. Season the outside of the roast very well with salt and pepper, and then rub well with olive oil. Roast the pork in a shallow pan with an inch of water in the bottom (add red or white wine if you like). Bake at 325 degrees. Turn the pork every hour. Keep about an inch of water in the pan at all times. When the internal temperature of 150 degrees is reached, remove the pork from the oven and let rest for about 45 minutes. Reserve cooking liquid. If desired, deglaze on stove. Add a touch of wine. Serve on top of pork slices. You can find homemade, authentic- style
Porchetta in Ottawa at various fine delis throughout the city − such as il Negozio Nicastro in the Glebe and Wellington Village. Or for special occasions you can contact
“The Bootleg Porchetta Company”, run by Mike Nicastro and Anthony Boselli, which over the past year has brought porchetta to pop-ups, festivals and backyard parties throughout the city.
They also provide full porchetta catering
services, available for onsite roasting and serving. The company specializes in different sizes of porchetta, delivered or picked up warm, ready to serve to your guests. They can also provide fully prepared, uncooked roasts for those who would rather cook it themselves. In the near future, Cabottos will be
featuring a “Porchetta Week” special. Details will be posted on the website:
www.cabottos. com .
Vince Pucci is the owner of Cabotto’s Fine Italian Cuisine Restaurant in Stittsville.
www.bounder.ca
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