Grilled Pork with Prosciutto and Sage Skewers
Spiedini di Maiale
Region: Italy
Category: Pork-Grilled
Season: Summer
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

Pork tenderloin is a buttery cut of meat ideal for grilling and with the bread is a natural foil for the aromatic flavors of fresh sage and prosciutto.  A drizzle of olive oil at the end keeps the meat and bread moist and glistening.  The double skewer keeps the ingredients from sliding and helps them cook more evenly.   

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 8 skewers, or 6 servings
Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Sixteen 10-inch wooden skewers

1 3/4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into twenty-four 1-inch-thick cubes

About 1/2 loaf French or Italian bread, cut into twenty-four 1-inch cubes

Twenty-four 1/8-inch-thick squares of sliced prosciutto (about 6 ounces)

24 fresh sage leaves

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for 15 minutes on high.

2. Double skewer all the ingredients: line up a cube of pork, a piece of bread, prosciutto, and sage.  Skewer them all with 2 skewers, keeping the skewers parallel to each other about 1/2 inch apart.  You should have 3 pieces of each ingredient per double skewer.

3. Drizzle each double skewer with olive oil.  Salt and pepper on both sides to taste and grill until the bread and pork are golden brown, about 15 minutes per side.  Serve hot.

Variation: 

The sage can be replaced with bay leaves soaked in hot water for 30 minutes to make them less brittle.  In Rome they call this preparation (without the bay leaves) lombello, a dialect word for tenderloin, and they brush the meat with melted lard while grilling.

Note: 

Posted: 12/28/2006