Cotolette pizzaiola

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 pork chops
• 1 can/n tomato(s), chunky, 425 g
• 1 m.-large onion(s), red
• 1 tbsp clarified butter or heat-resistant oil for frying
• Sea salt and pepper
• Olives, black, quantity as desired
• Capers in brine, amount as desired
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tbsp, heaped Mediterranean herbs, e.g. oregano, thyme, rosemary, fresh and chopped or 1 tsp dried herbs, if desired
• Extra virgin olive oil, for flavoring
• 1 garlic clove(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Chop – pizzaiola style

Peel the onion and finely dice, peel the garlic clove and finely dice it. Briefly rinse the meat under cold water to remove any bones and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then dust both sides with flour, this works best with a fine coffee sieve. Preheat the oven to 180°C and heat a casserole dish at the same time. Heat the cooking fat in a pan and briefly fry the chops on both sides until browned. Place the meat in the preheated casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil, and place in the oven. Sauté the diced onion and garlic in the cooking fat in the pan until lightly browned, then add the diced tomatoes from the can and bring everything together to a boil. Then pour the sauce over the chops in the casserole dish. Add salt and pepper to taste, but be careful not to add much more, as the liquid can evaporate during cooking. Stir in the olives and capers. Return the meat and sauce to the casserole dish and cook in the oven at 150°C for another 15-20 minutes. This time depends on the thickness of the meat near the bone; it’s best to cover with aluminum foil again. Just before the end of the cooking time, add the herbs and stir them in. Cook for just a few minutes, otherwise the flavor will evaporate. If the sauce has lost too much liquid, top up with a little water or stock. Only now do the final seasoning with salt and pepper. Test the meat for doneness. To do this, use a sharp knife to cut a piece deep into the meat close to the bone. If bloody liquid comes out, the meat is not yet cooked. In Italy, these chops are served with ciabatta. We like to serve them with polenta slices, but tagliatelle also works well. Good German mashed potatoes also go well with this dish. At the table, you can season the meat and sauce with a thin layer of olive oil, if you like, but freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley also tastes good.