Recipe of the day: Pork roll filled with spinach, dried fruit and feta cheese

This mouth-watering pork roll recipe perfectly combines savoury and sweet flavours, with a tender pork belly, wilted spinach, and the rich taste of dried figs and South African-style feta cheese.

The dish is elevated with a touch of fresh thyme and a tasty gravy made from reduced chicken stock and dry white wine.

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Pork roll filled with spinach, dried fruit and feta cheese

Ingredients

• 1 belly of pork, well-dressed and scored vertically
• 400g wilted spinach, well-drained
• 1 cup dried figs (alternative: apricots or peaches), soaked in warm water and roughly chopped
• 150g South African-style feta cheese
• 30ml Willow Creek extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 whole garlic heads
• 20g fresh thyme

Method

1. Ask your butcher for a pork belly that is not too fatty and relatively even in thickness.
2. Have them do the scoring straight down its height, about 1 cm apart.
3. Before preparing, remove the belly from the fridge to reach room temperature.
4. Place the pork belly skin-side down on a work surface and season well with salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
5. Arrange the wilted spinach evenly over the entire belly.
6. Place the dried fruit in a horizontal line midway down from the centre.
7. Break the feta into large chunks and place over the fruit.
8. Tuck the edge of the belly over the line of filling and roll the belly onto and over itself.
9. Secure with lengths of food-grade string and tie firmly into a tight roll.
10. Drizzle the roll with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place in the fridge to set and firm up.
11. Meanwhile, cut the garlic heads in half horizontally so you have four florets.
12. Place the garlic together in a greased roasting tray, creating a bed for the pork roll to roast on.
13. Add the whole sprigs of thyme over the garlic and place the pork roll on top.
14. Add the wine and chicken stock, and cover the roll with tin foil. Roast at 160°C for 2-3 hours. Allow to cool.
15. Roast uncovered at 200°C to bake and crisp up the skin. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

*This recipe was sourced from Mynhardt Joubert with permission.

Pork roll filled with spinach, dried fruit and feta cheese

• Author: Mynhardt Joubert
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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• • 1 belly of pork, well-dressed and scored vertically

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• • 400g wilted spinach, well-drained

• • 1 cup dried figs (alternative: apricots or peaches), soaked in warm water and roughly chopped

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• • 150g South African-style feta cheese

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• • 30ml Willow Creek extra virgin olive oil

• • Salt and pepper

• • 2 cups chicken stock

• • 2 cups dry white wine

• • 2 whole garlic heads

• • 20g fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Ask your butcher for a pork belly that is not too fatty and relatively even in thickness.
2. Have them do the scoring straight down its height, about 1 cm apart.
3. Before preparing, remove the belly from the fridge to reach room temperature.
4. Place the pork belly skin-side down on a work surface and season well with salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
5. Arrange the wilted spinach evenly over the entire belly.
6. Place the dried fruit in a horizontal line midway down from the centre.
7. Break the feta into large chunks and place over the fruit.
8. Tuck the edge of the belly over the line of filling and roll the belly onto and over itself.
9. Secure with lengths of food-grade string and tie firmly into a tight roll.
10. Drizzle the roll with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place in the fridge to set and firm up.
11. Meanwhile, cut the garlic heads in half horizontally so you have four florets.
12. Place the garlic together in a greased roasting tray, creating a bed for the pork roll to roast on.
13. Add the whole sprigs of thyme over the garlic and place the pork roll on top.
14. Add the wine and chicken stock, and cover the roll with tin foil. Roast at 160°C for 2-3 hours. Allow to cool.
15. Roast uncovered at 200°C to bake and crisp up the skin. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes

Chef’s tip: Strain the liquid from the roasting tray and reduce for a delicious, rich gravy.

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