Marcella Hazan’s ‘Maiale al latte’ (Loin of Pork Braised in Milk)
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
Surprisingly tender, juicy and delicate in flavour this dish comes from Bologna, capital of Emilia-Romagna in Italy. The milk (which is the basis of the sauce) transforms into delicious nut brown clusters. Use a pork loin from the shoulder or end of the loin as they are more succulent than the centre cut.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter 25g
- vegetable oil 1 – 2 tablespoons
- boneless loin of pork 1kg, tied with string, at room temperature
- full cream milk 500ml – 600ml, hot, extra if necessary
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper
- fresh sage leaves 3 – 4
- lemon rind 3 -4 strips
Serves 4 – 6
Heat the butter and oil over medium heat in a casserole and brown the loin all over, 10 – 15 minutes minutes. Season the meat with salt and freshly cracked pepper and add the sage leaves and pieces of lemon rind to the casserole.
Pour in the milk slowly, bring to boiling point then turn down the heat, cover (with the lid partly off) and cook slowly for 1 ½ – 2 hours until the meat is easily pierced by the tip of a sharp knife. Turn and baste the meat occasionally and, if necessary, add a little more milk. Remove meat to a serving platter and keep warm.
Spoon fat off surface of the milk and bring to the boil. Cook until browned and thickened into clusters of milk (they’ll look like cottage cheese). If it becomes too thick, add 2 – 3 tablespoons warm water .
Season with salt and pepper.
To serve: slice the meat thinly and spoon over the clusters of milk.
Tip: for extra flavour, add 3 – 4 peeled smashed cloves of garlic along with the sage leaves and lemon rind.
Loved this recipe when I discovered it in her first cookbook. RIP Marcella.
I tinkered with it a bit over the years, adding toasted, crushed cardamon and fennel seeds to the braising liquid, but Marcella’s original will always be the standard.
Yes, it’s a terrific recipe – love your additions.
cheers,
Sheridan
I was very reluctant the first time I made this– 40 years ago– but it is a winner, and I repeat it every year or so. This time I am nervous again, since my spouse is lactose intolerant, I’ll be using coconut cream. I’ll see how it goes.
Thanks go to Marcella and you!
Wow, that sounds really interesting – please let me know how it goes and how it tastes.
Sheridan
I have made this according to Hazan’s recipe over the years. Stumbled upon your version, and oh, goodness, what brilliant additions. Thank you.
I’m really pleased to hear that, Abby.
Sheridan 🙂
Glad to find Marcella’s maiale al latte recipe on line, as I wanted to remind myself about proportions of the few ingredients involved. Thanks! But I’m a purist re the Bolognese original and left out lemon peel and sage.
Pleased you found it, it’s a delicious dish.
cheers,
Sheridan