s PORK PIZZAIOLO WITH POLENTA **** s   



Yields: 0


Ingredients


 
Instructions
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9-23-15 very good
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JOSH ZISKIN and his wife Jennifer, owners of La Morra in Brookline, have pretty demanding schedules these days. In addition to running a popular, bustling restaurant—where Jen serves as Wine Director and Josh as Executive Chef—they’re in the process of taking ownership of the 18th-century Sherborn Inn, renovating it, and reopening sometime this spring. Oh, and they also have three sons, each in a different school in their hometown of Needham.

I’m greeted at the door by Josh and the enthusiastic Anakin, a gorgeous Golden Retriever, and introduced to his three boys: Miles, 11; Lucas, 13; and Julian, 16. They’re off from school today and eager for a meal. The menu is simple and very teen-boy friendly, with a nod toward the Italian cuisine that is Josh’s specialty. They’ll be making polenta with pork pizzaiolo, which is essentially a dish of pounded pork cutlets, sautéed and smothered in tomato sauce with mozzarella melted on top. Sometimes they make it with chicken or beef, but the pork is a family favorite.

Josh seasons the meat and gets it into a smoking hot pan with olive oil and butter. Lucas and Miles help flip the cutlets, and once the sauce is ladled on top, Julian adds the cheese before it hits the oven. The boys used to help their dad once in a while at La Morra in its early days, forming arancini and other cicchetti on the Northern Italian menu. But as time has passed, and the boys have grown, school, sports, and work schedules have taken precedence on weeknights. Sometimes the boys will even make their own supper, scrambled eggs and frozen pizza being high on the list of favorites. But Sunday and Monday is family time, with Jen manning the kitchen and making the boys’ favorite roast chicken, or this pizzaiolo, and the whole family sits at the table together, catching up on busy lives. With yet another restaurant on the horizon, these family dinners will be ever more precious.



Pork Pizzaiolo with Polenta

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
extra virgin olive oil
2 10-ounce cans whole tomatoes (or fresh peeled tomatoes in season)
4-6 boneless pork chops, pounded thin
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups corn meal
4 cups milk
5 cups water
½ stick butter
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
fresh basil, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°. Saute onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil until onions are soft and translucent. Add canned whole tomatoes and simmer until thick, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, 30-40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the tomato sauce cooks, make the polenta. Bring milk and water to a boil, then whisk in cornmeal. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 30–40 minutes, then stir in butter, Parmigiano, and salt to taste. Set aside and keep warm while you cook the pork.

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high and add 2 tablespoons olive oil; sear pork on both sides until golden brown. Spoon tomato sauce over each chop and top with mozzarella, then place in the oven to roast, about 10-12 minutes or until cooked through and cheese is melted. (You will likely have extra tomato sauce, which freezes well and is nice to have on hand for easy weeknight meals.)

Spoon polenta onto each plate and top with a pork chop, some more grated Parmigiano, and chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately.

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