Walnut sourdough porchetta
Sophie Petersen uses Bellbird walnut sourdough for porchetta. The walnuts bring a deep, toasty richness, while pops of fig melt into the meat, creating little jammy pockets of sweetness. The fennel is fragrant, and the crackling is unmatched. Pair it with a bright, tangy apple and fennel salad and, if you know what’s good for you, a buttered slice of Bellbird walnut sourdough.
SERVES 8
1½–2kg pork belly, skin on, butterflied
2–3 slices of Bellbird walnut sourdough
4 cloves of garlic
½ cup walnuts
6 figs, sliced
2 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 generous handfuls of fresh herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are all great)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Cooking twine
For the all-important crackling, prick and score the skin of the pork. Place the pork belly uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge overnight. Rub generously with rock salt (skin only) to help dry it out.
Preheat the oven to 220°C. In a cast iron pan, toast the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, and cinnamon until fragrant.
Add the torn fresh herbs, walnuts, garlic, two tablespoons of flaky sea salt, one tablespoon of cracked pepper, and a generous glug of olive oil (about two to three tablespoons) to a food processor and blitz until loosely combined.
Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of oil in the same pan. Tear the bread into rough pieces and toast until golden. Add to the food processor and pulse with the herb mixture to form a coarse, textured crumb.
Lay the butterflied pork belly skin-side down. Spread the stuffing evenly over the meat, pressing it in gently, then scatter the sliced figs over. Roll the pork up tightly, keeping the skin on the outside, and tie at 2–3cm intervals with cooking twine to secure.
Pat the skin dry, then rub generously with olive oil and a little extra salt.
Place on a wire rack and roast at 220°C for 30 minutes to kick-start the crackling. Reduce the oven to 160°C and cook for a further 2–2½ hours, until the meat is tender and the skin is blistered and golden.
Rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve in thick rounds to reveal that beautiful spiral of meat and stuffing.