Porchetta con Patate al Forno (Rolled Pork Belly with Roast Potatoes)

• 1.2 kg Pork belly, skin on
• 18 g Fine sea salt
• 2 tsp Black pepper
• 2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 4 sprigs Fresh rosemary
• 1 medium Lemon
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 900 g Mixed baby potatoes

1. Take the pork belly out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Pat it dry well, then score the skin in a tight crosshatch, cutting through the skin and fat but not into the meat. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
2. Toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant, then crush them lightly. Finely grate the garlic, strip and chop the rosemary leaves, and finely zest the lemon. Mix the crushed fennel, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, black pepper and 12 g of the fine sea salt into a paste.
3. Turn the pork belly meat-side up and rub the seasoning paste all over the meat. Roll it up tightly into a neat log, keeping the skin on the outside, then tie securely at 2 to 3 cm intervals with kitchen string. Rub the skin with the olive oil and the remaining 6 g fine sea salt.
4. Halve any larger potatoes so they are a similar size, then toss them in the roasting tin. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add any remaining lemon halves to the tin, then scatter over any leftover rosemary sprigs. Sit the porchetta on top of the potatoes, seam-side down.
5. Roast for 30 minutes at 220°C (430°F) to start crisping the skin. Reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F) and roast for 75 to 85 minutes more, turning the potatoes once or twice, until the pork reaches 70°C (160°F) in the centre and the potatoes are tender. If the skin needs more colour, increase the oven to 220°C (430°F) for the final 10 minutes, watching closely.
6. Transfer the porchetta to a board and rest for 15 minutes. Toss the potatoes in the tin juices and roast for 10 minutes more if you want them deeper golden. Slice the porchetta and serve with the potatoes and the lemony pan juices.

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