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The working recipe — the Market List, the Method, and where it lives or dies
I
Origin
Sardinia
II
Description
Suckling pig roasted in the oven with wild myrtle branches inside the cavity and underneath, surrounded by potato wedges that absorb the dripping fat. Smaller than porceddu (the spit-roasted version), the oven maialino is the domestic version of Sardinia's defining pork preparation — achievable at home but no less magnificent. The myrtle's aromatic volatile oils perfume the fat and skin.
III
The Thread
—Oven-roasted suckling pig with crackling skin — direct parallel; Spanish version uses a clay dish and water in the base rather than myrtle Spanish
—Whole pig roasted for maximum skin crackling — same skin-drying and high-then-low temperature technique for crisp skin Chinese
—Whole pig slow-cooked with aromatic plants — myrtle vs ti leaves; both use aromatic flora to perfume the fat from within Hawaiian
IV
Flavour Context
Milky sweet fat under crackling skin, perfumed with myrtle throughout; potatoes absorb the drippings and become rich and golden — the domestic Sardinian celebration table in its most accessible form
Pillars V — VII
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