1 Make the stuffing by mixing the onion, almonds, green figs and herbs together. In a second bowl, mix the bread with the olive oil and Gorgonzola. You can use more cheese and green fig preserve to suit your taste.
2 Using a sharp utility knife, score the entire rind and fat of the pork loin at 1cm intervals, without cutting into the meat (or ask your butcher to do it for you). Rub generously with salt and place the meat, skin side down, on a clean work surface.
3 Butterfly the meat carefully with a sharp knife. Start by making a notch on one side and then opening up the meat in stages until it is completely open; ‘unroll’ the meat as you go along (almost like a new roll of paper towels). The idea is to maintain the same thickness all over so that the filling is evenly distributed once rolled.
4 Once the meat is in a flat rectangle, season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and black pepper. Next, spread both prepared filling mixtures over the meat evenly and press it down lightly. You can mix everything together, but I find it easier to make sure the blue cheese and figs are evenly distributed when I keep the filling in two separate batches.
5 Carefully roll the meat and stuffing to form a neat roll with the scored skin on top. Tie the meat with lengths of kitchen string about 2cm apart. Tip If time allows, refrigerate the roast uncovered in an ovenproof dish overnight so the skin dries out, ensuring a crispy crackling.
6 On serving day Preheat the oven to 220°. Make sure the meat is at room temperature, then roast it for about 20 minutes or until the crackling starts to bubble and turn brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and roast for 30 minutes for every 500g of pork, plus an extra 20 minutes at the end. I like to carefully grill the roast for these last 20 minutes to really make sure that the rind has puffed up and turned crispy. Keep an eye on your masterpiece and make sure you don’t burn it and ruin your hard work!
7 Turn off the oven and let the meat rest in a warm place (in the warming drawer or under a foil tent) for about 10–20 minutes before carving. Serve with lashings of gravy, roast potatoes and butternut salad.
