What a fun and rewarding recipe Sandi offered this week! I loved making it as much as I loved eating it.
a Sunday roast with a Tuscan twist. This recipe for a Tuscan roasted pork is adapted from Once Upon a Plate
Tuscan Pork Roast
2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage
3 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 pound pork tenderloin
1 loaf crusty baguette
kitchen string
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mince sage, rosemary, pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together. Sear the tenderloin in a frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil for 8-10 minutes, rotating to brown all sides. Roll the pork in the herb mixture and set aside.
Next- cut, or slit the baguette in half the long way and scoop out most of the soft insides. Brush the inside of the baguette with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and any spices that may not stick to the meat.
Set the pork inside the baguette so that the pork is well enclosed. Trim off the excess ends of the bread if needed. With string, tie the bread to secure the pork at 1 to 2 inch intervals. Place the pork on a baking sheet and roast until done (when instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin it should read 155°-160°) About 25 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven, allow to rest 10 minutes. Remove the strings and cut into slices. Either serve it warm or at room temperature.
The flavors were reminiscent of porchetta in Tuscany–garlic. rosemary and sage. I have plenty of the herbs growing in our gardens so that part was easy.
The tenderloins I had were 2 in a package–total weight about 2.25 pounds. So I got a big French bread and put them both in. I put the skinny ends overlapping in the center of the bread. Josh was here so he did the searing and pronounced them done after about 5 minutes in the pan. And, since we like our pork cooked to about 145°, it was done after about 30 minutes in the oven. I felt like I was on the Food Network, doing the tying work. It went smoothly and looked quite professional.
We also ate roasted potatoes and carrots and a nice salad. We drank a great Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Great pairing!

What an enjoyable Sunday dinner!
Thanks to Sandi who knew exactly what to surprise us with this week and who is also my partner in the Pomodori e Vino/Marcella Hazan challenge.