When people think of Italian cuisine, pork shank may not immediately come to mind. The pairing may soon become synonymous in L.A. thanks to the Bone-in Pork Shank Affumicato ($44) Zach Pollack serves at Alimento. The young chef was inspired to create the massive multi-person dish after traveling to Alto Adige in northern Italy, which adjoins Austria.

“There’s a lot of Austrian influence up there,” Pollack says, “but there’s still that deft Italian hand that respects restraint. Smoke figures prominently in the area, as it does on the platter.” Pollack cold smokes a pig’s hind shank for four hours before braising the meat for another 12 hours at low temperature. He glazes the shank with a reduced cooking liquid and tangy cider vinegar. The result is tender pork that pulls easily from the bone and sticky, caramelized skin.

Cabbage braised with onions, caraway seeds and speck (“to back up the smoke in the shank”) complements the pork. Pollack flattens, roasts, and deep-fries potatoes with aromatic rosemary. Crispy potato skins contrast creamy cores and anchor the wood platter’s other side. Bonus: this dish could easily feed four people.

Pollack respects tradition, but he is also smart enough to know that he’s in Silver Lake and not Bolzano. It’s okay to stray a bit from the classics when creating a great new dish.

Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.