Roasted Pork Loin - Pancetta, Pine Nut & Sage Stuffing

Ingredients

2.5 kg boneless pork loin, rind on

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

Pancetta, pine nut & sage stuffing

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

125g pancetta, chopped

1/3 cup sage leaves, chopped

2 ½ cups fresh sourdough breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

Step 1

To make the stuffing, heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toss until golden. Transfer to a plate. Add oil to pan and heat until hot. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until pancetta is just crisp. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly

Step 2

Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add pine nuts, sage, breadcrumbs and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside

Step 3

Preheat oven to 240˚C/220˚C fan-forced

Step 4

Cut any string from the pork, unroll and place rind side up onto a board. Using a sharp knife, score the pork rind at 1cm intervals. Place pork rind side down onto the board. Pat dry with paper towel and gently press to flatten. Slice horizontally through the thickest part of the pork, without cutting all the way through

Step 5

Press the stuffing along the width of the pork on the cut side. Roll firmly to enclose the stuffing and secure with kitchen string at 2cm intervals. Rub rind with oil and then with salt

Step 6

Place pork on a greased rack in a large shallow baking pan. Pour water into the pan until 1/2 cm-deep (ensure pork does not touch the water). Roast pork for 35-40 minutes until rind is golden and crisp. Reduce heat to 180˚C/160C fan-forced and roast for a further 30-40 minutes (adding more water to the pan if necessary) or until juices run clear

Step 7

Remove pork to a board and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Slice pork and serve

Step 8

Note: for extra crisp pork crackling, the day before you cook the pork, place it rind side up, uncovered on a rack in the fridge and leave it overnight. Stand for 20 minutes at room temperature and dry with paper towel before roasting.

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