WINE & FOOD AFFAIR RECIPES

Appetizers

Crispy Pork Belly, ‘Porchetta Style,’ with a Cannellini Bean Puree and Salsa Verde

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

300 Via Archimedes
Geyserville, CA 95441
francisfordcoppolawinery.com

This recipe is a take on the beloved porchetta dish. Pork belly gets rubbed with fennel pollen and salt before being slow roasted until tender. Served on a bed of cannellini bean puree and drizzled with salsa verde, this dish is a Fall classic that is sure to delight.

Ingredients:
  • 2 pounds Pork Belly skinless
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 2 teaspoon Fennel Pollen
  • 1/4 cup Cannellini Beans
  • 1/2 Onion diced
  • 4 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Italian Parsley chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Oregano chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Shallot minced
  • 1 pinch Chili Flake
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • Herbs/ Flowers for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
Cut the pork belly into 4 equal sized pieces. Toss the pork with the salt and the fennel pollen. Place the pork in an oven proof dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook for 3 hours. 
In the meantime, add the beans, onion, and garlic to an appropriately sized sauce pot and cover with water by several inches. Cook over low heat until the beans are tender. Drain the liquid from the beans and reserve. Add the cooked beans, onion, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Puree the mixture until very smooth, adding some of the reserved liquid to achieve desired puree consistency. Finish the puree with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. 
While the pork is cooking, make the salsa verde by combining the olive oil, parsley, oregano, shallot, and chili flake. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. 
After three hours, remove the pork from the oven and remove foil. Turn oven up to 500 degrees and put the pork back in the oven to brown thoroughly for about 15 minutes. Pull from the oven and allow to rest. 
To serve, spoon some of the bean puree onto a plate. Slice the pork into 1/4-inch slices and place on top of the bean puree. Lastly, garnish the dish with the salsa verde and your favorite fresh herbs or edible flowers.