THE STORY OF PORCHETTA

So Barb asked why is porchetta so meaningful to me. Well according to some research and to validate what I thought it is a dish of the Lazio region- the area of my birth! Central Italy near Rome. Now other areas of Italy may make their own version of the dish. Basically the meat from the pork is used. The skin is used as a base. It gets stuffed with layers of the meat and fat. Spices are added like garlic, rosemary, fennel, salt, pepper and perhaps a herb or two depending on the chef! Rolled in the pig skin and tied to keep everything in. The skin becomes crispy after hours of cooking in the oven. The meat is very tender. The one bought for the party that was my previous post is a speciality of Vicentina Fine Foods.  I do not know what herbs and spices they use. It became popular in North America when Italians immigrated here. Pork is a popular dish of Canadians too. Pork roasts and pork chops are cooked by many Canadian families coast to coast as staples. Although Italians will call a pork roast porchetta, it really refers to a special way of cooking the pork not just a regular pork roast in the oven. The modern pulled pork sandwiches sold in sandwich stores  are porchetta. Many Italian-Canadians in Ontario love porchetta. It can be bought in slices for everyday lunches or on meat platters. However, made as a big porchetta for a party it is better.

Don't you think? #vicentina
Vicentina