Gouroundopulo Psito (Oven-baked Suckling Pig) is a traditional Cypriot recipe for a classic dish of whole suckling pig that's baked in an oven and which is traditionally served at festivals or family gatherings like engagements, weddings, christenings, Christmas, New Year and Easter. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Cypriot version of: Oven-baked Suckling Pig (Gouroundopulo Psito).
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In Cyprus the suckling pig is the traditional meal served at formal dinners, particularly at buffets and parties. It is also offered as a special order dish in most taverns and large restaurants.
In addition, it is also served at large gatherings such as engagements, weddings, christenings, Christmas, New Year and Easter — whenever more than a dozen people are likely to gather for a celebration.
Ingredients
1 oven-ready suckling pig
olive oil for brushing
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
For the Baste:
120ml oil
120ml lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
Method:
Season the pig liberally both inside and out with salt and black pepper.
Set a rack over a large oven tray and sit the pig, back uppermost, on this. Brush liberally with olive oil then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for 60 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the baste ingredients. When the 60 minutes are up, remove the pig from the oven and pour over the basting mixture. Return to the oven and cook for about 90 minutes more. Every 30 minutes during this time, remove the suckling pig from the oven and pour over another batch of the baste mixture.
Serve the suckling pig, garnished with vegetables around it as the table's centrepiece and accompany with baked potatoes and salad.
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