I had a revelation the first time I flipped through Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Bastianich. In the section about the cooking of the region of Molise, the Italian state my grandparents were born, she describes the local specialty of serving pasta with pork chops in the same way one might serve spaghetti and meatballs. Growing up in my family, my dad would do just that. When he cooked for a crowd, he would serve spaghetti with pork chops for the pasta course. The chops would slowly simmer in the marinara sauce all day, making them fall-off-the-bone tender and flavorful. Until I read Lidia’s cookbook, I did not make the Molisano connection. But, since my great-grandmother taught grandma how to cook, and she taught my dad how to cook, then it stands to reason that they were passing down their Molisano ways. So, if you have some time to cook, try Lidia’s delicious Three Meats Braised in Tomatoes. And, as a result of my dad’s pork chops with spaghetti, I have my version, below, Braised Pork Chops in Tomato Broth. It’s well worth the time, and is a heavenly bowl of comfort.
Braised Pork Chops in Tomato Broth
BRAISED PORK CHOPS IN TOMATO BROTH
Serves 6
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp each dried oregano and basil
2 boneless butterfly pork chops, trimmed
1 lb. mild bulk Italian sausage
sprinkle pepper flakes
1 cup red wine
2-24 oz cans whole plum tomatoes with juice, cut into strips
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
14 oz can canellini beans
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
12 oz rigatoni
1. Heat olive oil in soup pan over medium heat. Add onions, red bell pepper and bay leaf. Turn heat to low and saute until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic, basil and oregano and cook 1 minute longer, stirring so garlic doesn’t brown.
2. Push onion mixture to the edges of the pot and add the pork chops. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Brown on each side, about 10 minutes total. Remove pork chops and add Italian sausage. red pepper flakes, and brown, breaking up into smaller pieces, about 8 minutes total. Add pork chops back into pot. Increase heat to medium-high and add red wine and reduce to half. Add tomatoes with the juice and chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Keep on a low simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add canellini beans and romano cheese about 15 minutes before braising is complete.
3. While meat is braising, cook rigatoni according to package directions, rinse, drain and reserve. Remove pork chops from braising liquid and slice or shred into pieces. Return pork pieces to the pot along with the cooked rigatoni and stir to coat. Serve warm topped with grated romano cheese.