Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 2 pints of grape tomatoes
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2-3 tbs. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
- 1 bay leaf
For the Pork Chops:
- 4 Pork Loin Center Cut Rib End Chops, about 3/4 inch thickness
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Parmesan cheese for grating
- About 8 oz. of mozzarella, grated
For the Coating:
- 1 1/2 cups flour, plus more if needed
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs, plus more if needed
Instructions
For the Sauce:
- Heat a large cast iron frying pan.
- Place the tomatoes in the dry pan and sprinkle with sugar. As the tomatoes start to wilt, add the sliced onions and garlic.
- Allow the onions to get a beautiful golden color and the garlic become fragrant.
- Add the rest of the seasonings and drizzle with olive oil.
- Gently and carefully crush the tomatoes, as they may burst.
- Add the water, bay leaf, and peas and simmer on a low and gentle heat.
- Taste for seasonings.
- Prepare the pork chops while the sauce simmers gently.
For the Pork Chops and Assembly:
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a dredging station for the pork chops by setting up three stations: one with flour, one with the milk and eggs beaten together, and one with Panko.
- Coat the pork chops in the flour, then the milk and eggs mixture, and finally in the Panko bread crumbs.
- Heat a large cast iron frying pan with about 1/4 inch of cooking oil.
- Place the prepared pork chops in the heated oil. The oil should sizzle when the pork chop is placed in the pan, otherwise the coating will get soggy.
- Cook the pork chops for about 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your chops. The coating should get a beautiful golden color.
- Once the pork chops are golden and ready, place them in a baking dish.
- Top each pork chop grated Parmesan cheese, the prepared sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for about 30-35 minutes covered.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 10-12 minutes uncovered.
- Let the pork chops rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The internal temperature should read 145 degrees F. (63 degrees C).
- Drizzle the pork chops with a little olive oil before plating. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian