Porchetta Sandwich

Lunch | Italian

Prep time: 20 min Servings: 8

Known as Panino con la Porchetta, this sandwich consists of juicy pork (porchetta) with a crunchy crackling, sundried tomato pesto and basil in a ciabatta roll. It’s a classic Italian street food from central Italy, and the concept is simple: a sturdy ciabatta roll with sliced porchetta, some crackling, sundried tomato pesto and a few basil leaves.

The prep time in the header is just the assembly. Making the porchetta takes a couple of hours and has its own recipe on the site. Same with the ciabatta and the pesto. You can buy both if you want to keep things simple and the sandwich will still be good, but homemade porchetta is obviously the point.

The step that makes the most difference is dipping the cut side of the roll lid into the pork resting juices before you close the sandwich. It’s a small thing but it seasons the bread and ties the whole thing together. For that to work you need a porchetta that has had enough time to rest properly so there are actually juices to collect. Beyond that it’s just assembly. Serves 8, or fewer people with seconds.

I really love this sandwich and it's great if you have leftover porchetta or pork belly.

Ingredient Notes

Porchetta: This is Italian slow-roasted pork, traditionally a whole deboned pig seasoned heavily with fennel, garlic, rosemary and black pepper, then rolled and roasted until the skin is completely crisp. You'll need to follow my porchetta recipe to make the porchetta first before making your sandwich. If you don’t want to make a full porchetta, some Italian delis and good butcher shops sell it by the kilo. My recipe is linked at the top of the ingredients list.

Sundried tomato pesto (pesto rosso): This is quite different from basil pesto. It’s made with sundried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and sometimes roasted peppers, and it has a concentrated, slightly sharp flavour that cuts through the richness of the pork. A decent jar from the supermarket works fine here. If you want to make it from scratch, you can follow my recipe. I wouldn't substitute with green basil pesto. The flavour profile is too different and it won’t work as well against the pork.

Ciabatta rolls: The bread needs to be sturdy enough to hold up against the juicy pork and the resting juices you’ll soak into the lid. A soft roll will go soggy quickly. Ciabatta works because of its open crumb and firm crust. If you’re buying rather than baking, look for rolls with a proper crust rather than packaged soft ones. You could also use a crusty baguette cut into portions if ciabatta rolls are hard to find. Here's my recipe is you want to bake it.

Equipment

Chopping board
Carving knife or sharp slicing knife
Bread knife
Tongs
Small bowl or tray (for resting juices)
Spoon or palette knife (for spreading pesto)

Ingredients

8 ciabatta rolls, buy or follow this recipe
1 porchetta, follow this recipe
sundried tomato pesto (pesto rosso), buy or follow this recipe
1 bunch basil leaves

Directions

Follow my recipe for Porchetta, and allow it to rest before carving.
Carve porchetta into 1.5-2cm thick slices, then halve to make semi-circles of slices.
Halve the ciabatta rolls horizontally.
Spread the base of the rolls with the sundried tomato pesto.
Place some slices of porchetta including the crackling on top of the pesto, then top with some basil leaves.
Dip the cut side of the roll lid in some of the pork resting juices, then place on top to enclose the sandwich and enjoy!

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Dip the roll lid in the resting juices

Don’t skip this step. After the porchetta has rested you’ll have a tray or board with a good amount of pork fat and juices pooled in it. Press the cut side of the top half of each roll face-down into those juices for a few seconds. It seasons the bread, adds richness, and makes the sandwich taste like something you’d buy from a proper Italian street stall rather than a home kitchen. The porchetta needs to have rested long enough for the juices to actually collect.

Slice the porchetta thick

Thin slices of porchetta lose their texture quickly and the crackling gets lost in the sandwich. A proper thick slice gives you the contrast of crispy skin on top, fatty meat underneath, and the sauce and bread around it. Halving the slices into semi-circles makes them easier to layer and fit into the roll without everything sliding out.

Storage

This sandwich is best assembled and eaten straight away. Once the resting juices soak into the bread it doesn’t hold well. If you have leftover porchetta, keep it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and assemble the sandwiches to order. To reheat the porchetta, place slices on a tray in a 180°C (355°F) oven for 8-10 minutes. The crackling won’t be as crispy as fresh but it’ll be close.

FAQs

Can I make this without making porchetta from scratch? Yes. Some Italian delis and good butcher shops sell porchetta by the kilo, usually roasted fresh a few times a week. Call ahead and ask. If you can find a good source it saves a lot of time. Just make sure it has proper crackling on it, that’s non-negotiable for this sandwich.

Can I use a different bread? Ciabatta is the right choice here because of its structure and crust. A crusty baguette cut into sandwich-length portions also works well. I’d avoid soft rolls or brioche. The bread needs to hold up against the juicy meat and the resting juices, and a soft roll will turn to mush quickly.

What else can I add to the sandwich? The traditional version is just the porchetta, pesto and basil. Other versions you’ll find in Italy include salsa verde, sliced provolone, mustard or semi-dried tomatoes. Any of those work. I’d keep it to two or three additions at most so the porchetta stays the main event.