Arista di Maiale Al Rosmarino – Pork with Rosemary

This is recipe no. 3 from our “Italy, The Beautiful Cookbook” challenge. My husband chose this one, and I am so glad he did. Insanely simple, with incredibly familiar ingredients, this too, was a winner. The book says that this recipe is from Tuscany, but I am sure there are versions of this from every region in Italy.

I love rosemary. Rosemary is one of my favorite cooking herbs, thus I have an incredibly large bush on my balcony, and apart from using it in the kitchen, it smells divine. I think my favorite part is when I’m picking the leaves off the stem, and its sap imparts its beautiful, medicine-like aroma. During the cooking process your kitchen will smell incredible too, with all that delicious garlic and rosemary! After the pork is done, you finish the sauce with a nice, dry white wine. Classic Italian cooking, simple ingredients creating a masterful and superb dish. Easy enough for a weeknight if you have time, perfect for a Sunday roast, too.

So here’s what you’re going to need:

1 fresh rosemary sprig

6 garlic cloves, crushed

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 chine of pork, about 2 1/2 lbs (1.25kg)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 cup (4 fl oz/ 125ml) dry white wine

Finely chop the rosemary leaves. Mix rosemary and garlic with salt and plenty of pepper. Rub the meat well with this mixture and tie it securely to the bone. Place the meat in a dutch oven or aluminum saucepan with the oil and butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 400F (200C) for 1 1/2 hours, turning frequently.

Untie the meat and remove the bone. Arrange meat in slices on a serving dish. Pour wine into the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits and season to taste. Serve this sauce with the meat.

Serves 6

From my kitchen to yours,

Carla