If you, like me, grew up eating dry, pan-fried pork chops that took forever to chew, this recipe will be a revelation. Pork chops are inexpensive, and finding a recipe that renders them flavorful and juicy is like finding gold.
Pork Chops alla Salvia
Makes 4 servings
In Italian cooking, we almost always cook our pork on the bone. It gives you much better flavor.
Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
One 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (plain, not seasoned)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Pork Chops:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Four 8-ounce center-cut pork loin chops, on the bone
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and their juices and the tomato paste. Bring just to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the basil. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the sage, and the pepper and rub in the seasonings. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomato sauce and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until the pork is opaque when pierced at the bone with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Serve hot, with the sauce.
Sage (salvia in Italian) is a powerful, peppery herb that is great with fatty meats as it supposedly helps aid in the digestion of fat.
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– From Skinny Italian by Teresa Giudice with Heather Maclean |
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