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Costolette di Maiale Piccante



Is it just me or do you all have a backlog of dishes you would like to try? Just counting the tagged recipes I have saved, I’m at 156!

Nevermind the new dishes I see daily or recipes from a cookbook, magazine or tv show. I have a big problem but I swear, I’ll get to them.

I have no real “system” to cooking up a dish. Much like sizing up a recipe, I go by instinct, gut feel and what my mood is concerning food.

Tonight, I feel as though I should follow-up my grilled pork chop recipe with my use of the leftover pork chops.

This recipe goes wayyy back. I first saw this dish on Buffalo’s PBS affiliate and Lidia Bastianich was doing her first series.

I liked Lidia’s cooking immediately as it reminded me of the Italian food I ate at my neighbors and Italian friend’s home. There would be no nouveau-Italian cusine here. Just good, honest, filling Italiano victuals.

I’ve only made this dish once before but the memory of the spicy/savory/tart dish stuck in my mind. First because I had never prepared pork chops like this before and secondly the recipe used pickled cherry peppers, which my family has made on many occasions.

Costolette di Maiale Piccante is translated as Spicy Pork Chops but if you listed it in a menu as that, then you wouldn’t get the $22.95 menu price would ya? Italians are smart like that.

I’m leaving you with the original recipe which calls for breading and browning pork chops and then simmering them to a saucy finish. Tonight I worked with leftover pork chops so I simply started off with cooking off a roux and then I added the liquids and the remaining ingredients until I achieved the same saucy dish asked for by the recipe.

If you making this dish, hold off on the vinegar until the end. Add a splash at the end, just in case you don’t want the dish to be at all tart. Also, I threw in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes…something to balance the heat of the cherry peppers and give a slight sweetness.

The dish was rounded out by a bed of mashed potatoes with cream cheese, Italian herb mix and some grated Grano Padano. A fitting starch for a zesty pork chop dinner.

Spicy Pork Chops (Costolette di Maiale Piccante)
(for 6)

6 lean rib or loin pork chops
Salt
All purpose flour for dredging

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

3 bottled hot cherry peppers in vinegar, halved, stems and seeds removed

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (optional)

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup Chicken Stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

  1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides of each lightly with salt. Coat the chops with flour and shake off any excess flour.
  2. Divide the oil between two heavy, large skillets (cast-iron is ideal) and place the skillets over medium heat.
  3. Add the chops and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Tuck the garlic in around the chops and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Tilt the skillets and spoon off as much of the fat as possible. Divide the cherry peppers and rosemary between the skillets. Add half of the vinegar to each skillet and cook, shaking the skillets occasionally, until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
  4. Pour half of the wine into each skillet and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to each skillet, cover them and simmer for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
  5. Remove the chops to plates. The sauce should be slightly syrupy. If not, increase the heat to high and boil one to two minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chops.
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37 Responses

  1. The bbq meat man continues…what a great dish. I love the sound of the sauce. Especially with the “Macedonian” peppers. And cream cheese in mash? That drew me in hook, line and sinker Peter.

  2. Yum! Yum! Yum! I wish I had some leftover pork chops right now! I love Lidia’s recipes. And I’m just like you. I can’t even count how many recipes I have backlogged to try out. It could be a full time job!

  3. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  4. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  5. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  6. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  7. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  8. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  9. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  10. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  11. Oh yes, this is what I am graving for, but hec the winter is not coming. Great dish Peter!

  12. There are seriously too many recipes out there (k, you can never really have too many) and it is very difficult to keep up with them all!

    Great looking dishes, pete!

  13. I have such a backlog of recipes, I’ve begun keeping a spreadsheet (I’m such a nerd). The pork chops – great way to use those leftovers but they sound fab to be made fresh, too.

  14. Lidia is my hero!!!

    These photos are gorgeous.. I want to jump through the PC screen and steal a bite!

  15. Pete, I don’t eat pork but I felt like grabbing a fork and eating this – that oozing sauce is magnificent!

  16. Pete, us Makedones love our peppers…more coming tonight!

    Glam, fancy menu names can & do garner higher prices.

    Christine, I get dizzy from all the dishes I’ve saved to try.

    Nina, when things cool down in SA, you’ll have a wealth of hearty dishes to try.

    Pixie, I’m enjoying blog dishes more than those seen on food shows.

    Annemarie…seek…help…NOW! lol
    Would set up a spreadsheet for me? lol

    Big Boy, welcome and thank you, very kind.

    Maria, this dish is mild hot.

    Meghan, her cooking is very unpretentious…Italian as it should be.

    Pat, close your eyes & pretend it’s chicken! lol

  17. Mmm, looks great Peter! I don’t want to tell you how many recipes I have tagged. The worst part is that 90% of them are desserts and I rarely bake, lol

  18. Oh yay! More pork chops and another recipe to the bookmark list. I am at 140 (141) right now. Oh yeah, and the foreign name works to overprice it :-p

    Cheers!

  19. I’m way too scared to count how many recipes I have on my to-make list! And I’m adding to it every day!

    This looks like the best kind of comfort food to me – spicy AND creamy… You’re a star!

  20. Brilliant dish!

    My pile of to-try recipes I’m pretty sure numbers into the thousands. Really!

  21. I swear, Peter, you are giving me the chills with all this wonderful pork! I have been digging on your latest recipes and this is right up my alley. Awesome.

  22. I like the idea of the pickled peppers. Tart/savory and spicy are my favorite combination of flavors. This looks great!

    If you’re game, I’ve tagged you for a meme on the cooking site I contribute to, http://www.liketocook.com. Hope you can join in!

  23. Recipes to try is how I saved mine. Haven’t counted them but they are many. The worse thing is the recipes I have cooked, taken pictures of but do not find to post them. Nice pork chops. Do you eat the garlic or is it just for the flavor? Never used more than 3 in any recipe,even skordalia.

  24. This looks really great. Oh geez i have like a whole page of recipes that i want to try…

  25. Nice one, Peter! Not to mention, Lydia is one of our faves. The pillow of potatoes makes me want to do a swan dive into the side of them. I’m eyeing the right hand side of the plate so I don’t poke my eye on the pork chop. Also, my husband is whispering in my ear to tell you, “Props on the grill marks, Peter”…

    amy (and Jonny)

  26. Elly, I’ve tagged alot of desserts too…still trying to get to them.

    Ben, my favourite is “tacos el pastor”! lol

    Val, double-in here.

    Lori lynn, it gives just a slight tang, nice.

    Lori, I guess I’ in good company then.

    LOL @ Allen…bring the cream cheese to bed!

    Catherine, I aim to please (in the kitchen too) DOH!

    Loulou, pickled ingredients can really boost a recipe.

    Ivy, of course I eat the garlic…delicious and good for you.

    Jessy, I sweat I’m going to tackle the to-do list.

    Amy & Jonny…thanks…I pride myself on grill marks.

    Cakelaw, Grazie!

    Kevin, this mash was a smash!

  27. Mmmmmmm. Delicioso Peter :D.
    Same thing happens to me with tagged recipes, but I keep on buying nice magazines and wanting to cook my own… One thing after another ;-)

  28. How great does this look!!!
    I have a jar of those peppers that I use for a chicken dish, but now they’re headed for pork heaven.

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