In Porcello Lactante (For a Very Young Piglet) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of a young piglet that's marinated in a blend of pepper, wine, olive oil, stock and vinegar before being oven roasted. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: For a Very Young Piglet (In Porcello Lactante).
In porcello lactante: piperis unc. I, vini heminam, olei optimi acetabulum maius, liquaminis acetabulum, aceti acetabulum minus.
Translation
For a Very Young Piglet: Use 30g pepper, 300ml of wine, more than 75ml of the best olive oil, 75ml of stock, and slightly less than 75m of vinegar.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 whole, young, suckling pig
For the Marinade:
4 tbsp black peppercorns
300ml red wine
80ml extra-virgin olive oil
60ml pork or chicken stock
1 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
70ml white wine vinegar
Method:
Pound the peppercorns in a mortar and mix in the olive oil, liquamen and white wine vinegar. Turn into a bowl and whisk in the wine and stock. Place the piglet in a dish and pour over the marinade. Turn to coat then cover and marinade the meat in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, turning occasionally to ensure even marinading.
Place the piglet on a rack in a roasting tin and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 220°C and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C then continue roasting for 50 minutes per kg, or until the skin is crisp and the meat is thoroughly cooked (check that the meat juices run clear by piercing in the thickest part of the roast). During this time, brush the piglet frequently with the marinade as it's roasting.
When done, remove the piglet from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, cover with kitchen foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.