Non-VegetarianMolisana cuisine Main Course

Pampanella Molisana

Name: Pampanella Molisana
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Molisana
Ingredients: 1000 g pork ribs or thick pork belly slices; 40 g sweet red pepper powder; 10 g hot red pepper powder; 4 cloves Garlic; 15 g Fine sea salt; 60 ml white wine vinegar; 40 ml Water

Tender pork baked in a thick scarlet crust of sweet and hot pepper powder, finished with a sharp splash of white wine vinegar. A beloved street-food speciality from San Martino in Pensilis in Molise.

🇮🇹Italy· Molise

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 75 min
Total: 90 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

1000 g pork ribs or thick pork belly slices — cut into generous individual portions
40 g sweet red pepper powder — mild paprika or peperone dolce
10 g hot red pepper powder — ground peperoncino, adjust to taste
4 cloves Garlic — minced to a fine paste
15 g Fine sea salt — finely ground
60 ml white wine vinegar — sharp white wine vinegar
40 ml Water — to dilute the basting vinegar

Equipment

•Roasting tin
•Baking parchment
•Small mixing bowl
•Sharp knife
•Basting brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 34 g
carbs: 6 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 38 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat your oven to 180C (160C fan).
2
Score the pork lightly with a sharp knife across the fatty surfaces.
3
Mix the sweet pepper powder, hot pepper powder, minced garlic, and salt in a bowl.
4
Rub the spice paste thoroughly over all sides of the pork until completely scarlet.
5
Arrange the seasoned pork pieces snugly inside a rimmed roasting tin.
6
Wet a sheet of baking parchment, wring it out, and tuck it closely over the meat.
7
Cover the tin tightly with foil and bake for 60 minutes until tender.
8
Whisk the white wine vinegar and water together in a small bowl.
9
Uncover the pork and spoon the vinegar mixture evenly over the sizzling meat.
10
Return the uncovered tin to the oven for 15 minutes until the edges crisp slightly.
11
Rest the pork for 5 minutes before serving with the spiced pan juices.

Chef's tips

Adjust the ratio between sweet and hot pepper powder to match your preferred spice level, keeping the total volume high for an authentic coating. Wetting the baking parchment prevents the thick spice paste from sticking to the cover or scorching during the initial steam bake.

Ingredient substitutions

Pork ribs or thick pork belly slices → Pork shoulder cut into thick strips, though check for doneness ten minutes earlier
Sweet red pepper powder → Mild Spanish dulce paprika, which provides a similar deep red colour and earthy aroma

Storage

Store cooled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating

Reheat covered with foil in an oven preheated to 160C until piping hot throughout.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using too little pepper powder, which should form a thick and completely opaque red crust.
•Baking uncovered from the start, which burns the chilli powder before the pork fat renders.
•Omitting the final vinegar splash, which is critical to provide the signature Molisano acidity.

Serving suggestions

Stuff into crusty pagnotta or ciabatta rolls drenched with the spicy vinegar pan juices.Serve alongside pickled vegetables or a crisp chicory salad to cut through the rich pork.