Pork Roll Baked with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers

⏳ Time

1 hour 50 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

It should be noted that the sprig of rosemary in the photo is purely for decoration, so it should not be eaten. Fresh herbs can simply be replaced with dried ones.

Ingredients

Pork Neck - 105.8 oz
Tomatoes - 4 pieces
Orange Bell Peppers - 2 pieces
Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons
Garlic - 2 cloves
Paprika - 2 teaspoons
Dried Rosemary - 2 teaspoons
Ocean salt - to taste
Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Fresh Rose Hips - 1 sprig
Thyme - 1 sprig

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Thaw the pork if it was bought frozen, or simply wash and dry it with a paper towel if it was sold chilled. Wash the tomatoes and slice them into 1 cm thick slices, wash the peppers, dry them, and brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Preheat the oven to 392°F, place the tomatoes and peppers in a baking dish, add a sprig of thyme on top of the tomatoes for aroma or crumble it with your fingers for a richer flavor, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, marinate the pork in a mixture of 3 tablespoons of olive oil, paprika, oregano, pepper, salt, and crushed garlic cloves, which should be evenly distributed between the two pieces and left to marinate while the vegetables are baking.

Step 3

After 30 minutes, remove the vegetables from the oven, immediately place the peppers in a plastic bag or wrap them in cling film and let them cool. After 10 minutes, open the bag, and if the peppers have cooled enough to be handled, peel off the skin: the steam will help it come off easily. Adjust the oven temperature to 428°F.

Step 4

Slice the peeled peppers into strips about 1 cm thick, evenly distribute them on the two rolls. Cut the pork from the wide edge and open it like a book, place the same spices, strips of bell pepper, and slices of tomatoes inside, carefully holding the edges, roll it up, tucking in the narrow edge slightly to prevent the filling from spilling out. Then tie the roll with kitchen twine, silicone baking cords, or regular thick thread, or simply secure the edges with toothpicks, place it in a baking dish, topping it with a sprig of rosemary, or crumble it with your fingers, sprinkle the meat, and send it to the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Step 5

After 40 minutes, check for doneness by piercing it with a knife or toothpick: the juices should run clear. If the roll is not ready, increase the cooking time by 10 minutes, then check again. Do the same with the second piece of neck. If the meat starts to burn, cover it with foil, and about 5 minutes before it's done, remove the foil to allow the pork to brown.

Step 6

Remove the rolls, let them cool slightly, and carefully remove all fastening elements: the meat has taken shape and will not fall apart. Slice into portions across the roll, serve with roasted vegetables, potatoes, or any sauce of your choice, including Italian pesto sauce, which pairs wonderfully with many dishes.