Ripieni Braciole de Maiale -- Stuffed Pork Chops

Instructions

With a sharp knife, slice the pork chops about ½ way down the thickness, almost to the bone, so that you can “butterfly” them. Once all chops are butterflied, pound each “wing” of each chop lightly. Set aside.

Mix together the cubed bread, mozzarella, prosciutto, onion, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add a few drops of olive oil to hold the mixture together slightly. It should be moist, yet not overly wet. Stuff each chop with a tablespoon or so of the mixture. Close the chops with toothpicks or skewers.

Place the stuffed chops on a rack in a large baking pan. Pour a cup of white wine and a cup of water into the pan, but keep the chops out of the liquid. Cover tightly and bake at 350°F for about 35-45 minutes, or until the chops are white and all the redness is gone. The water/wine in the baking pan may be reduced and thickened with a little cornstarch or flour and used as a sauce.

Author's Comments

This dish takes a bit of time to not only cook, but also to prepare. However the results are well worth it. Some may “Americanize” this dish by adding some diced apple to the filling. I would agree that apple does add a great taste to pork, but please don’t do it here. The subtleties of the prosciutto, mozzarella and the hint of the nutmeg would be lost in the stronger flavors of the apple. Taste it the way it was created.

From my cookbook: The "Old Country" Italian Cookbook, by Donald J.P. La Marca

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