Porchetta (Venditti style)

Buy a boneless pork belly of about 13 kg, about 50 cm long, so it fits a home oven.

Remove the fillet and the rib section, take out the ribs one by one by hand, and put the fillet and trimmed meat back toward the centre so the rolled log has an even diameter; square the piece off.

Spread the first spice mix evenly over the meat, 23 g per kilo; then garlic to taste, the juniper and pepper mix, and rosemary.

Massage the seasoning in and let the meat rest 48 hours in the cold so the salt draws out excess liquid, which makes the crust crisp.

Roll and sew the log shut with a needle and waxed vegetable twine: two central stitches, a base knot, then further stitching, pulled tight so all the meat stays inside.

Run a steel rod through the centre so it cooks evenly; at home an aluminium rod works, or without one cook a little longer at a lower temperature. Tie it tightly along its length for a compact log.

At the shop the tied porchetta is aged ten days in a cold room at four degrees before cooking; at home it can be cooked straight away.

Put the porchetta on a rack in a static home oven at 220 degrees, over a tray with a little water and a bottle of craft beer.

Cook the first hour at 220 degrees, the second at 210, the third at 200; never turn it.

Raise the oven to 250 degrees, take the porchetta out, throw two glasses of water over it, and return it for half an hour until the crust bubbles.

Slice with a serrated knife, set the crust aside, and serve on a slice of bread with crust on top, or on a board.

Serve rested, neither too hot nor cold.