Puttanesca Pork Chops- healthy home cooking with savory Italian flavor!
Puttanesca Pork Chops
In my opinion, a great recipe is one that’s healthy, easy, tastes great and has a bit of “wow” factor. Puttanesca Pork Chops is exactly that kind of recipe. I served these up when my brother Jeff and sister-in-law Bridget came for dinner recently. But they would also work well for an easy weekday meal.
Boneless pork chops are pan seared, which only takes 8 minutes for 1″ thick chops. Then you create a classic Neapolitan sauce in the same pan, which also comes together in just minutes. Initially I was concerned that the combination of capers, oil-cured olives and anchovy paste might result in a sauce that was too salty. But the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes balanced the flavors out very nicely. After realizing this, I probably would have seasoned the chops with a little more salt and pepper before browning.
It’s important not to overcook the pork chops to ensure they stay tender. While you’re making the sauce and the meat is resting, keep them warm by tenting the meat with foil. I happened to pop them into my glass cake pan with a tightly sealed cover. This caused the chops to continue cooking just a tad too far. They were still tender, but I will stick with the foil method in the future.
Tasty Sides
I rounded out my menu with Orzo Risotto with Peas. This is a version of risotto which uses orzo pasta vs Arborio rice and comes together more quickly. I doubled the amount of Parmesan and added toasted pine nuts to amp up the flavor and provide a nice nutty texture. My other Italian side was Carrots in Marsala. This easy dish adds a nice splash of color and a touch of sweetness to the menu.
Carrots in Marsala
In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, melt 1/4 c. butter. Add 1 chopped shallot and saute until barely tender, about 3 minutes. Add 1 lb peeled carrots cut into 1/4 ” slices and salt to taste. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until carrots are very tender, about 25-30 minutes. Add a little water if the pan gets too dry. Once tender, pour 1/4 c. dry Marsala over carrots and cook uncovered until Marsala is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serves 4-6.
Puttanesca Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops about 3/4 – 1″ thick
- 1/2 tsp or more, to taste ground black pepper, divided
- 1/8 th tsp. or more, to taste salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 anchovy fillets or 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 2 c. cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 c. pitted oil-cured olives
- 1 tbsp capers rinsed
- 1/4 c dry white wine
Instructions
- Sprinkle pork with ¼ teaspoon pepper and salt (or more, to taste.) Add 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the pork. Cook, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and anchovies (or anchovy paste) to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, olives, capers and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine and crush the tomatoes with a potato masher or spoon. Simmer until the sauce is thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Return the pork and any juices to the pan, turning to coat with the sauce.
This looks delicious, I have yet to make a successful pork chop recipe….