Florentine-style pork loin

This Tuscan classic is cooked on the bone. We pair it with a Chianti Classico Gran Classico Selezione Montebello Sette 2015.

Ingredients for 6-8 people.

1.5kg pork loin with the bone (rack), 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3-4 garlic clove, 1 rosemary sprig, salt and pepper.

The amount of meat is the minimum suggested and using one closer to 2kg would be even better, just as one served cold is even tastier than one fresh out of the oven.

The pork loin has to be baked with the bone and, in order to make it easier to slice when done, this can be done in two ways:

* Have it completely de-boned by the butcher and then re-compose it by using kitchen twine to tie the meat around the bone.

                *Have the butcher cut the spine at around 2cm intervals to make it easier to cut the cooked meat into “chops”.

The latter is the more flavorful way to prepare the loin and even in this case the meat has to be tied with twine to keep it together.

Directions:

Peel the garlic cloves and crush them, either with a mortar or a meat tenderizer, together with the rosemary needles. Complete this pesto with a tea spoon of salt and a lot of pepper and mix well.

Smear half the pesto on the meat and rub it in using your hands to allow the aromas to penetrate. Poke the rest of the pesto into the meat here and there.

Let the meat sit for a couple of hours then place it in a pan and bake it for around 90 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 180°C.

Turn the meat three or four times during baking and baste with the juice to keep it moist.

Once done, let the meat sit for at least 30 minutes in the oven that has been turned off (but will keep it warm).

The juice that forms during baking will be dark and very tasty and in Tuscany they usually use it to sauté the vegetable accompanying the meat, turnip greens or black cabbage. However, the loin can also be served with classic roasted potatoes.

Wine to pair:

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Montebello Sette 2015 Tolaini

Intense ruby red color. To the nose, it is floral and ethereal, with notes of carnation, then black cherry, spices and hints of licorice on a woody background. Strong flavor, excellent body with nice acidity and good tannins. Salty and persistent finish.

Production area: Vineyard n° 7 of Tenuta Montebello in Castelnuovo Berardenga, Chianti Classico. The soil is composed of galestro and limestone, mostly clay with gravel size stonesn.

Grape variety: 100% Sangiovese, Vine age: plantings completed in spring 2000. Plant density: 7,350 plants per hectare. Production: 6 t/ha.

Harvest: Grapes are manually harvested and sorted twice, first when they arrive at the winery as bunches and then again after de-stemming by an optical sorter. The whole berries are immediately put into stainless steel fermentation tanks and a smaller portion into French oak fermenters. 

Vinification: The temperature in the tanks is computer controlled; the must is kept in contact with the skins for about 20 days. Remontage occurs every 8 hours and one delestage per week. A brief maceration occurs after fermentation. Malolactic fermentation takes place in large French oak fermenting tanks and in tonneaux. The wine rests for 18 months in wood of which 6 are on the fine lees, 6 months in stainless and a further 6 months in bottle.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

THIS RECIPE IS OFFERED BY TOLAINI

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