Read on for a translation of the Italian phrase.
Last week I set out to solve a problem. In putting together a food and wine experience with the delectable Cannonau di Sardegna from Audarya as a centerpiece, I was seeking a traditional dish from Sardinia but also something I could replicate easily in an American kitchen with access to ingredients that are somewhat widely available.
While I did not replicate the traditional dish, I arrived at something that was inspired by it.
The journey began in Fall 2020, while at a wine tasting at Limoncello Baltimore. Limoncello prides itself in being an “Italian restaurant”, as opposed to an “Italian-American restaurant”, with manager Vincenzo Schiano’s vision of providing an authentic experience to diners who want to experience the culinary traditions of the various regions of Italy.
One of the courses served with the tasting was a dish called Porchetta. A dish with many regional adaptations in Italy, it consists of pork stuffed with some combination of chopped fennel bulb, garlic, olive oil, lard, entrails, and generous amounts of salt and pepper, prior to being slow roasted over a wood fire. In many cases the pork is a suckling pig prepared as above, although it can also be made with a skin-on pork belly.
More recently, while tasting Audarya’s Cannonau with Vincenzo, who hails from Campania but is a wealth of knowledge about regional traditions, he pointed out that Cannonau is seemingly meant to pair with pork, and particularly a dish like Porchetta. He also let me know there is a Sardinian version.
So my next contact was to Nicoletta Pala of Audarya. Nicoletta informed me that the Sardinian version is called Porceddu, and sent me a recipe. This version called for a suckling pig, stuffed as above but roasted over a juniper wood fire.
So I had a basic concept. In the US, suckling pigs are not very widely available; pork belly is somewhat more but requires a visit to a butcher who carries it. So I wanted to come up with a similar recipe, using a cut of pork available in a grocery store. I chose the tenderloin.
Then, for the stuffing, since entrails are not widely available, I came up with a replacement that is conceptually similar to lard and entrails: Italian sausage.
Finally, my fire. I have a charcoal grill and can use wood chips to create a similar smokiness. I also read a few recipes that suggested herb bunches to be thrown on the fire; using thyme, rosemary, and reserved fennel stalks, I created a very aromatic smoke that really made itself present in the pork. The deck and kitchen smelled delicious for a full day after this was made.
This is not authentic Porchetta or Porceddu. It is a dish inspired by the concept and aiming to replicate some of those flavors, and also a good accompaniment to the Cannonau. That’s why we gave it the name in the title, which translates to “Stuffed tenderloin of pork alla Wide Roots”.
If you try this dish, be sure to pair it with the Cannonau from Audarya…and drop me a line to let me know what you think!
Filetto di maiale ripieno alla Wide Roots
You will need a grill for this recipe. Charcoal is preferred but a gas grilling method is provided, and you will need to prepare for it by soaking a handful of wood chips for 30 minutes prior to grilling.
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of silverskin
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 fennel bulb, diced
- 1/4 lb sweet Italian sausage
- Olive oil
- Generous salt and pepper
- Reserved fennel stalks
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
Prepare the tenderloin: using a meat mallet, pound the tenderloin to a 1/2 inch thickness. It may help to butterfly the tenderloin by cutting lengthwise but not all the way through. Prepare a brine using the 1/2 cup salt and 1 qt water. In a 1 gallon plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, place the tenderloin in the brine, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove the tenderloin from the brine; rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Place the tenderloin on a cutting board so it lies flat; lengthwise along the center, add the garlic, chopped fennel bulb, Italian sausage, and generous olive oil and salt and pepper. Roll the tenderloin along its length, so the stuffing stays within the tenderloin. Secure the rolled tenderloin with 4 or 5 strands of butcher’s twine. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Grilling: If using charcoal, ignite coals and allow to burn; set up an indirect fire by placing lit coals on one side of the grill, keeping a cool side. When the stuffed tenderloin comes out of the refrigerator, spread a handful of wood chips over the hot coals, then add the reserved fennel stalks, rosemary, and thyme. Allow them to smolder and smoke, then add the tenderloin to the cool side of the grill. Place lid over grill with the vents over the cool side, to draw the smoke through the tenderloin.
If using gas, prepare the grill by heating one side to medium and leaving the burner(s) off on the other side. Prepare a foil packet with the soaked and drained wood chips, the reserved fennel stalks, and the rosemary and thyme. Using a knife, poke holes in the top and bottom of the packet. Place over the burner, then place the prepared tenderloin over the cool side.
For both methods, grill for 20-30 minutes, or until temperature of the tenderloin reaches 145 deg F, turning once or twice. Remove once the tenderloin comes to temperature, place on a cutting board, and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice along the length to create disks.
Serve and enjoy with Cannonau di Sardegna.