Pork Milanese

Everyone needs a recipe that is quick, requires only pantry staples, and most
importantly, is a crowd-pleaser. Pork Milanese is a recipe I find myself making often for
dinner, since it takes mere minutes to prepare and I usually have all the ingredients on
hand. This dish could easily be made with chicken or veal, since the main component is
a cut of meat pounded thin and tenderized.

I prefer using panko, since it makes for an extra crispy crust, but you can use
regular breadcrumbs. If you find yourself out of breadcrumbs (the horror!) you
can simple make your own with bread. The herbs used in the breading mixture are
interchangeable, and you could even use Romano in lieu of Parmesan cheese. The
beauty of “back pocket” meals like this is that they are meant for the novice chef. You
don’t need a lot of experience or talent in the kitchen- just a few simple ingredients
and a lot of creativity! This is a basic recipe that never fails and can be whipped up in a
pinch.

Pork Milanese

Serves 3-4

Slightly adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried garlic powder
• 2 large eggs
• 6 boneless pork loin chops, pounded thin to 1/3 inch-thick (1 1/2 pounds total)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• lemon slices or wedges, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Coarsely crush the panko into a large shallow bowl. Stir the cheese and dried herbs into the panko. Lightly beat the eggs in another large shallow bowl. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Dip the pork, 1 piece at a time, in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, then dredge the pork in the crumb mixture, patting to coat completely. Place the pork on a small baking sheet.
3. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and just cooked through about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then transfer them to a clean baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and fry the remaining pork.
4. Transfer the pork to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

As the name suggest, “Milanese” refers to the area of Milan, Italy, and the style of cooking where meat is flattened, coated with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, and then fried in butter or oil. This is a dish that has no sauce, yet boasts lots of flavor. The blend of the panko and Parmesan cheese creates a delightfully savory crust, while the pork remains succulent and tender under the golden brown goodness. At the suggestion of multiple reviews of the recipe, I decided to add dried herbs to the breading, which adds some nice pops of flavor from the first bite to the last.

Like what you see? Want more? Liz writes a food blog titled Blog is the New Black,
where you can find many more delicious recipes. Original post for this recipe can be
found here.