Dinner: Porchetta With Roasted Potatoes

Recipe by /contributors/maialino-epicurious When it comes to a special-occasion main course, it doesn't get more timeless or show-stopping than porchetta.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds (from one bulb)
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 1/2 pounds pork belly with skin attached
3 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin with fat cap
3 pounds fingerling potatoes
1 large rosemary sprig

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F and position rack in the lowest position.
Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to cutting board along with garlic, fennel fronds, salt, and pepper and finely chop together. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and stir in oil.
Lay pork belly on cutting board, skin side down. Holding a large sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, split the belly in half, being careful not to cut all the way through the opposite end. Open the split belly like a book and spread fennel-garlic mixture all over. Place pork loin at the end of the skinless side of the belly, and tightly roll the belly around the loin, forming a roast. The skin should almost wrap the roast completely. Using butchers' string, tightly tie the roast at 1-inch intervals.
Transfer the porchetta to a large roasting pan and roast for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and add the potatoes and rosemary. Season with salt and toss the potatoes in the pan juices to coat. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of roast registers 165 °F and potatoes are tender, about 2 hours more.
Let the porcetta rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

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