This recipe comes from my sister, who is a gourmet cook. She teaches an after school program called “Elementary Chefs” helping kids learn the fundamentals of cooking along with expanding their palettes at the same time. I love the flavor of this dish and it makes the entire house smell great on a cold fall afternoon. It’s wonderful with a homemade applesauce and a fall vegetable. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 1/2-4 lb. tied boneless pork loin roast
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta*
1 1/2 C. of chicken broth
1 1/2 C. of dry white wine
*Pancetta, an Italian bacon, isn’t always easy to find at the corner grocery store so thin sliced bacon will also work.
Directions:
• Blend the garlic, rosemary, thyme and oil in a food processor, until the garlic is minced.
• Sprinkle the pork roast with salt and pepper.
• Arrange the pancetta slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly.
• Spread half of the garlic mixture over one side of the pork and between the two loins that meet in the center of the tied pork roast. Place the pork, garlic mixture side down, in the center of the pancetta. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the remaining pork. • Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork. Place pork in a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour and up to one day.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup of broth and 1/2 cup of wine into roasting pan. Add more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes. Roast the pork until meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees for medium-rare, about one hour.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top. Cut the pork into 1/4 inch thick slices and serve with pan juices.