Italian Pork And Beans

Pork and beans are two Italian favourites and my Italian Pork and Beans comes together with a nice Flat Pancettta from my friends at Johnny Prosciutto.  They have the best authentic Italian products and they deliver right to your home. Check them out at johnnyprosciutto.com 

Growing up in Little Italy we cured our own meats. My nonno Salvatore was the master of prosciutto and his Pancetta was the very best.  Thinly sliced we would eat it with homemade bread as a snack when we came home from school.  We often took Pancetta out to the beach. The taste is salty, smoky and spicy.  It is made from the pig’s belly and is popular in many region’s of Italy.  It is salt cured and lasts a long time.  Pancetta’s history dates back to the Roman Empire and it is a staple in many Italian kitchens.  

Ingredients For Italian Pork and Beans

• 1 medium onion, chopped
•   1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
•  1/2 cup Italian Flat Pancetta(cubed)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
•   1 whole tomato diced
• 1 can mixed beans  
• 1 cup chicken broth 
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
•  1 celery stalk
•   1 tablespoon tomato paste
•     2 tsp Italian Seasoning Divided
• 4 bone-in pork loin chops
•   salt and pepper
• Polenta or cooked rice 
• freshly chopped parsley

Process

In a skillet warm up your pancetta. Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning so that the spices warm up. 

Finely chop the onions, garlic and the celery.  I put them through the food Processor. Add to the Pancetta and sauté.  Chop the tomato into chunks and add to the pan.  Let this cook down for about 5 minutes.

Next add in the chicken stock, tomato paste and then the beans. Cook until the sauce thickens. 

Prepare your pork loin chops by adding salt and pepper.  I roast mine in a 375F oven for 20 minutes turning once.  You can also brown them in a skillet.For the Polenta follow the package instructions.  I like to add parmesan cheese, parsley and olive oil to mine.  I also cook my polenta for this in chicken broth.  

When plating this dish.  Start with a a layer of polenta and place one pork chop on top and then put the beans over the pork chop.  Extra beans on both sides of the plate make it a hearty meal. 

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Italian Pork and Beans

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion chopped
• * 1 clove garlic
• * 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• * 1/2 cup Italian Flat Pancetta cubed
• * 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• * 1 whole tomato diced
• * 1 can mixed beans
• * 1 cup chicken broth
• * 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• * 1 celery stalk
• * 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• * 2 tsp Italian Seasoning Divided
• * 4 bone-in pork loin chops
• * salt and pepper
• * Polenta or cooked rice
• * freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

1. In a skillet warm up your pancetta. Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning so that the spices warm up.
2. Finely chop the onions, garlic and the celery. I put them through the food Processor. Add to the Pancetta and sauté. Chop the tomato into chunks and add to the pan. Let this cook down for about 5 minutes.
3. Next add in the chicken stock, tomato paste and add the beans. Cook until the sauce thickens.
4. Prepare your pork loin chops by adding salt and pepper. I roast mine in a 375F oven for 20 minutes turning once. You can also brown them in a skillet.
5. For the Polenta follow the package instructions. I like to add parmesan cheese, parsley and olive oil to mine. I also cook my polenta for this in chicken broth.
6. When plating this dish. Start with a a layer of polenta and place one pork chop on top and then put the beans over the pork chop. Extra beans on both sides of the plate make it a hearty meal.