garlic porchetta with fennel

Serves 4-6

When I say this dish serves four to six, better to make it just two. Then you’ll have plenty for leftovers and lunch and the ultimate sandwiches for a couple of days. Or, put on a feast with this simple roast that’s impressive and flexible enough to add the season’s best veg to. Serve with buttered sautéed snow peas or a baby leaf salad.

• 1.6kg boneless free-range pork belly, skin scored
• 1 tbs salt flakes
• 6-8 oregano leaves
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 large fennel, cut into large wedges
• 1 bulb garlic, top cut off acrossways
• 2 Spanish onions, peeled and quartered

Preheat oven to 220C. Combine oregano, lemon zest, garlic, oil and thyme in a bowl. Place pork, skin side up, on a board and rub in salt.

Turn pork over, spread herb mixture over the pork flesh, leaving a 1cm border, and season with pepper. Roll up belly tightly from the long edge to form a log shape, then tie securely with kitchen string. Place in a roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes, until skin is golden and starting to bubble and crisp. Reduce oven to 170C and cook 1 1/2 hours, until tender and crackling is crisp.

Remove from oven in last 25 minutes and scatter fennel, garlic and onion into tray, turning after 15 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside 10 minutes to rest, then carve.

A huge thank you to Le Creuset for the gorgeous Stainless Steel Rectangular Roaster, it fits this pork so perfectly.