Frittule Calabresi — Fried Pork Carnitas

Place the pork belly pieces and fatty trimmings in a wide, heavy iron pot, then add the lard and the water and set the heat to medium-low, so the water slows the initial heat and the fat melts out of the meat gradually rather than scorching against a dry surface. Stir occasionally. The stage is complete when the water has fully evaporated, the rendered fat runs clear, and the pot smells of clean, sweet pork with no trace of steam.

This is where the dish lives or dies. Once the fat is clear and all water has evaporated — after approximately 1.5 to 2 hours — raise the heat to medium-high so that the pork pieces now fry in their own rendered fat and can take on a proper golden crust rather than simply stewing in residual moisture. Do not crowd the pot and do not stir excessively; allow the pieces to sit undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes until each one is golden and slightly crisp on the exterior, and until the skin pieces — the cotenna — have gone glass-crisp, which is the most prized result of the whole cook. The pot will tell you when to stop: the fat bubbles steadily around the pieces without spattering, and every surface is uniformly golden.

Remove the frittule with a slotted spoon and transfer them immediately to rough paper to drain briefly, so the excess fat falls away rather than pooling and softening the crust you just built. Season at once with the coarse salt and dried peperoncino flakes. Frittule lose their crispness within minutes; they are eaten the moment they leave the pot.