When I was younger, I always ordered ham and cheese, from sandwiches to omelettes. I must admit, it took years before I was ready to branch out and try different meats on my sandwiches, and it was even longer before I put any veggies in my omelettes. There’s just something completely comforting about the simple ham-and-cheese combination. So when I started craving that childhood comfort combo, I decided to branch out in the other direction – no sandwich, no omelette, and no quiche, all of the typical ham-and-cheese dishes. Instead, I went for… pasta!
Porky Pasta
serves 1
I used a leftover pork chop because that’s what I had on hand, but any sort of pork product would taste delicious, such as ham, bacon, or even pancetta. Mozzarella cheese would be another good substitute for the Parmesan.
1 c. dry rotini or bow-tie pasta
1 small pork chop (or ½ c. ham, or 2-3 slices of cooked bacon)
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
salt and pepper
- Fill a medium pot half full of water. Bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place cooked pasta in a bowl.
- Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a small pan. Cook pork chop, flipping once, until done (internal temperature should be 160° for well-done). Remove from heat and let rest for 2-3 minutes.
- Cut the pork into small bite-sized pieces. Add pork, Parmesan, and 1 tsp olive oil to pasta, stirring well to coat. Salt and pepper to taste.
Leave a Reply