The Porchetta Sandwich: A Love Story

How many times have you walked into a deli only to be overwhelmed by all the choices you have to make. First it's the bread, then your choice of meat, and then, what, like 20 different veggies to pick from? Oh and the condiments. Mayo? No mayo? To mustard, or not to mustard? And are you of the raw onion persuasion? We are. After all your picking and choosing the guy behind the counter is probably fed up with your indecisiveness and screws it up anyway. Wait, you said no tomatoes?

Kiss your deli goodbye. Basta, as the Italians would say. Porchetta, the traditional street food of Central Italy, is everything you've ever dreamt of. And the best part: there is no picking and choosing. They do one thing only, and do it perfectly.

[Por'ketta] n. roasted pork with crispy skin, highly seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices, garlic, sage, rosemary and wild fennel pollen. Typical plate of the Roman cuisine. Slow-cooked Italian fast food.

Not that I need to say anything after the Wikipedia gods have spoken, but this savory, fatty, moist boneless pig squashed between a perfectly round, crisp Sullivan Street Ciabatta roll is nothing short of a dream. The crispy skin cracklings will have you addicted. Chef Sara Jenkins is the mastermind behind it at the namesake restaurant in NYC's East Village, and many idolize her for it. Although I would personally go to the end of the world for my lover, this baby comes to me. That's right, if you live in NYC you can order it by clicking here. The restaurant gives you a choice of either the Porchetta sandwich, or for gluten-free grub go with the platter. But then it wouldn't be a sandwich, would it?

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