Makes 6 servings
Here’s Italian country cooking at its best. Since the pork roast gets a head start in the oven, it’s cooked perfectly by the time the potatoes are browned and crunchy. And by raising the oven’s temperature partway through, you won’t gray the meat (but rather brown it) or undercook the vegetables.
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed lightly under a pot on a cutting board
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds boneless pork loin
1 pound golf ball–size Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 large shallots, peeled and halved
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the crushed fennel seeds, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Massage this mixture evenly over the pork.
3. Set the meat fat side down on a large lipped baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes.
4. Turn the pork over. Scatter the potatoes around the baking sheet and drizzle everything with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast for another 30 minutes.
5. Scatter the shallots, garlic, and rosemary around the baking sheet. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over everything.
6. Turn up the oven’s temperature to 375°F. Continue roasting until the vegetables are browned, the potatoes are tender, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 150°F, about 30 minutes longer. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carving and serving.