Sardinia
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.
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
{"Source a pig under 8kg — larger pigs take too long in the domestic oven and the skin doesn't crisp evenly","Pack the cavity generously with fresh myrtle branches and a halved lemon — the steam from the cavity infuses from inside","Lay the pig on a bed of myrtle branches in the roasting pan — the volatile oils transfer to the skin as it roasts","Start at 230°C for 25 minutes to crisp the skin, then reduce to 180°C for 90 minutes","Add potato wedges around the pig after the initial high-heat phase — earlier, they over-brown before the pig is done"}
{"Salt the skin 2 hours before roasting and leave uncovered in the fridge — this draws moisture from the skin surface and creates crackling","Score the skin in a diamond pattern before roasting — this helps the fat render and the skin crisp evenly","Mirto liqueur drizzled over the carved meat at the table is the Sardinian festive finish"}
{"Basting during roasting — the skin needs to dry-roast; basting with liquid makes it rubbery instead of crackling","Too large a pig for a domestic oven — temperature distribution becomes uneven and the inner cavity doesn't cook through","No myrtle rest — place the finished pig on fresh myrtle for 15 minutes before carving; this is where the characteristic aroma transfers"}
La Cucina Sarda — Pastorizia e Fuoco