Crispy Pork Cracklings for Saint Dimitrius Day

In spite of being one of the tastiests appetizers which match perfect with a glass of ice-cold beer, pork cracklings are not a type of food poets dedicate poems to.

Most of the women I know think that eating pork skin no matter how prepared, is disgusting. But I love to eat most of the things declinded by 'sophisticated people' - I prepare myself and order in restaurants where offered such things like crispy chicken cracklings (you can not imagine how crunchy they are), trippa alla fiorentina, pacha, the typical Bulgarian Shkembe chorba, pig trotter's soup...But let's go back to the pork cracklings. They are crunchy and dry on top and melting soft inside.  And something also important - they do not need much time to be prepared. My husband loves them and today I make them for him - he has a nameday. Today is Saint Dimitrius day - one of the most important Orthodox saints who is celebrated every year on October 26. Happy nameday, Dimiter! Wish you all the best!

Ingredients:

·         1 kg (2 pounds) pork rind from a shoulder or belly

·      3 Tbsp salt

Preparation:

Remove most of the fat of the rinds and cut in 5 mm (1/5-inch) wide slices.

Put the rind pieces in a pot with boiling salted water and boil for a minute. Strain, rinse in cold water and put into refrigerator for an hour. Preheat oven to 200C (390 F). Pat dry the stripes to remove most of the moisture and to obtain a really crispy cracklings. Rub with salt and put in a baking tray for 30 minutes until the pieces get golden brown and crisp. Drain to remove excess fat, turn cracklings to allow them roast evenly and roast for additional 15 minutes.

Serve with chips, green salad and a glass of ice cold beer.