Pork knuckle in dough
The dough is the foundation of a savory recipe, and its preparation is a true culinary ritual. In a large bowl, add the freshly sifted flour and lard, the essential elements that will form the dough. We mix patiently until the lard is completely incorporated into the flour, achieving a fine and uniform texture, similar to that of wet sand. Once this is done, we add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to enhance the flavor and 3 eggs, which will bring elasticity and compactness to the dough. We work the mixture with our hands until we obtain an elastic and homogeneous dough that does not stick to our fingers.
Once the dough is ready, we divide it into two pieces, making sure that one of them is larger. This will be the base of our preparation. The two pieces of dough are rolled out with a rolling pin, ensuring an even thickness. The larger piece is carefully placed in a greased pot (cauldron) with lard, making sure that the dough rises on the walls of the pot, thus providing a consistent support for our preparation.
For the filling, we crush a head of garlic and finely chop an onion (or use a food processor to save time). Part of the garlic is rubbed with a teaspoon of salt, while the rest is kept for later stages. The shank and ribs are well rubbed with the garlic and salt mixture, then generously peppered to intensify the flavors.
The greased pot with lard becomes the place where we will create a true feast. We place the larger piece of dough and, on top, add half of the onion, followed by the rest of the garlic. Over this aromatic layer, we carefully place the shank and ribs, covering everything with the remaining onion, whole peppercorns, the two bay leaves, and a splash of 50 ml of plum brandy, completing with 300 ml of semi-dry or dry white wine, which will contribute to a special taste.
We cover the preparation with the other rolled-out piece of dough, ensuring it closes airtight. The pot is placed in the preheated oven at the lowest level, where it will cook on low heat for about 3 hours. When the dough becomes darkened and cracked on top, we take the pot out, remove the dough lid, and let it stay in the oven for another 10 minutes to brown nicely.
This dish is served alongside creamy mashed potatoes or potato and mushroom schnitzels, and pickles should not be missing from the table, adding a pleasant contrast of acidity. This recipe is not just a simple dish, but a true delicacy that will delight any festive table.
Ingredients: 1 piece of raw meaty knuckle (if the knuckle is smoked, it's even better) 400 g smoked ribs (if we use smoked knuckle, we use fresh ribs) 1 head of garlic 10 pieces of onion whole pepper, salt 2 bay leaves ground pepper, salt 50 ml plum brandy 300 ml semi-dry or dry white wine for the dough: 3 eggs 0.5 kg flour 200 g lard salt
