Imagine a traditional crackling pork belly, succulent pork loin, and a delicious fig, pistachio and pancetta stuffing. This easy crispy Italian porchetta recipe combines all three! An absolute showstopper, this porchetta recipe is simple to pull off, packed with flavour, with shatter-crisp skin and juicy meat. It’s the perfect alternative to traditional roasts for Christmas, Easter, the holidays, or any special occasion!
What is Porchetta?
Porchetta is a traditional, classic Italian celebration meal! Although these days, it’s common to see it sold as a street food too, often sliced in a sandwich on some toasted panini or focaccia. The traditional celebratory Italian porchetta is common at Christmas, Easter, special occasions, or large gatherings.
In this recipe, I use smaller cut of pork (belly with loin attached). But classic, traditional porchetta uses a whole deboned suckling pig that’s stuffed, rolled, and spit roast over a gentle fire. Perfect for bringing the family together around the fire, nibbling on snacks, slowly sipping wine, and waiting for the celebratory porchetta feast!
There are so many variations of porchetta stuffing flavours out there. But some non-negotiables for the stuffing include fennel seeds, rosemary, and garlic. These are the basic, characteristic flavours of a true porchetta. And after all, pork and fennel is a timeless flavour combo!
Ingredients in this Porchetta Recipe
For this easy crispy Italian porchetta, you will need a piece of pork belly with the loin attached. Grab a good quality piece of pork from a local butcher. Your porchetta is only as good as the pork! If you’re in the Sydney area, be sure to check out Joe Papandrea butchers. The butchers there are so incredibly friendly – he scored the skin for me and gave me loads of butcher’s twine to secure the porchetta! Of course, this will also work with just the belly. And if you’re feeding a large crowd, absolutely go for a whole suckling pig!
And for the stuffing, you’ll need pistachio, dried figs, pancetta, rosemary, fennel seeds, balsamic glaze, garlic, and shallots! If you’re in Australia, I recommend getting your hands on these Coles ‘soft and juicy’ range of dried figs. They’re plump, juicy, and become like a sticky jam in this porchetta once roasted!
And for the pancetta, use whichever you like! I prefer a peppered pancetta for the extra pepper flavour. But you could go for a chilli one, or just plain, if you prefer. And here’s the balsamic glaze I use for this recipe. Balsamic glaze is stickier and sweeter than balsamic vinegar, and adds a lovely sweet tang to the stuffing. But if you can easily use balsamic vinegar instead. The stuffing will still be incredibly delicious with all the different levels of flavour. The sweetness from the figs, creaminess from the pistachio, and tangy flavour of the balsamic complement the crispy pancetta and fatty pork perfectly.
Plus, if you’re making this porchetta for Christmas, you barely need to try and make it look festive. The green pistachios and reddish-pink bits of pancetta make the stuffing look so colourful and festive!
How to Make Porchetta
Porchetta is really just a matter of making a delicious stuffing, rolling it in the pork, then whacking it in the oven! What could be simpler?
First, make the stuffing by frying off your pancetta. Then, using the rendered fat, fry off your garlic and onions. Then throw in the rest of the stuffing ingredients, and cook for a few minutes. Once the filling is cooled, spread it onto the pork. Make sure to leave a small border to allow the filling some space to spread once you roll it up.
Then just tightly – and I mean tightly – roll up the pork and tie it into segments with thick butcher’s twine.
Then it’s ready for the oven! I like to do an initial hot blast to crisp up the skin, then a low and slow cook to get the flesh juicy and succulent. Just look at how crispy and golden it becomes!
And for proof of how juicy the meat stays, have a look at this thing of beauty!
What to Serve Porchetta With
This easy crispy Italian porchetta is perfect just about any of your favourite sides! Some steamed veg, roast potatoes, or garlicky greens would be fantastic along the rich, fatty pork. But I think it’s fabulous at the Christmas dinner table served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe! If you tried it and loved it, I would be so grateful if you left a 5-star review and a comment to let me know how it went! xxx
Easy Crispy Italian Porchetta with Fig, Pistachio and Pancetta
Ingredients
Method
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Take the pork out of the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature.
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Prepare the stuffing by frying off the pancetta in a pan on low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the pancetta is crispy and the fat has been rendered out into the pan.
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Throw in your garlic and shallot, and fry for 1-2 minutes until soft. Then go in with the figs and pistachios and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Keep the heat on low as you don't want the figs to burn.
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Turn the heat off and stir through the fresh rosemary, fennel seeds, and balsamic glaze. Adjust for salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cool before filling the pork.
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Preheat your oven to 220°C (fan).
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Lay the pork flat, skin-side down. Season the flesh with salt and pepper. Spread the cooled stuffing onto the flesh, and press down to compact it. Make sure to leave a 1-2cm border around the edges to allow for space for the stuffing to spread once rolled.
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Tightly roll up the pork, making sure to keep everything snug. With thick butcher's twine, tie strings around the width of the pork at 2-3cm intervals. Make sure you do this tightly! If any stuffing falls out, just push it back into the pork once all the string is tied.
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Rub a small drizzle of olive oil on the skin, and season generously with salt.
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Place the porchetta on a wire rack, and into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and golden. Then turn the oven down to 140°C for a further 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 71°C in the thickest part of the pork.
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Rest for 20 minutes under some loosely tented foil, then carve up and serve!
