Meat

Slow Cooked Pork Belly With Pesto & Fennel Filling

A joint worthy of centre stage on your Sunday table. Juicy pork and crispy crackling are tough to beat, but this extra special recipe involves a lovely twist with our Filippo Berio Tomato & Ricotta Pesto as well as the punchy flavours of quintessentially Italian ingredients: lemon, rosemary and fennel.
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Cook with:
Filippo Berio Tomato and Ricotta Pesto
Serves: 6-8
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 4.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp Filippo Berio Tomato & Ricotta Pesto
  • 2kg piece of pork belly, boned and skin on

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (fan assissted)/ Gas Mark 6.
  2. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the pork and then rub the skin with sea salt and Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  3. Toast the fennel seeds in a dry heated frying pan for 30 seconds.
  4. Combine the lemon zest, garlic, rosemary and Filippo Berio Tomato & Ricotta Pesto in a small food processor or using a pestle and mortar.
  5. Lay the pork skin side down. Smear the fennel and pesto mixture over the meat and season with black pepper.
  1. Roll the meat into a nice neat round joint and secure at rectangular intervals with string.
  2. Put the joint into a lightly oiled roasting tray and cook at 180C (fan assisted) for 30 minutes.
  3. Turn the heat down to 160C and cook for further 4 hours.
  4. Remove the joint from the oven and let it rest for 20 mins. Carve into slices and serve.