Credit: Tuis I Home
Preheat the oven to 140°C.
Score the pork fat with a sharp knife (see roasting tips).
Rub well with salt, making sure the salt gets into all incisions.
Refrigerate the pork belly under covered for at least 30 minutes, the salt dries out the fat and ensures a more crispy end result.
Arrange the bay leaves, garlic and sage leaves in a roasting pan and put the meat on top.
Pour about 1cm of water in the pan and roast under covered in the oven for about 3 hours.
Meanwhile, make the apple sauce.
Cut the apples into quarters and remove the seeds.
Place the apples, together with 125ml water, in a saucepan over moderate heat.
Put the lid on and simmer until the apples are soft.
Mash the apples slightly and stir in the caster sugar, butter and lemon juice.
You can also add a little cinnamon if you want.
Increase the oven temperature to 220°C and roast the pork to a further 20-30 minutes or until the fat is crispy.
Remove from the oven and rest for about 15 minutes before carving the meat.