Recipe Background
Cheese-Crusted Pork is the name we gave to this dinner delight, and it makes us giggle every time we read it. A crunchy filet of savory pork is topped with rich tomato sauce and melty, creamy sharp cheese. Mmm, Cheese-Crusted Pork is something you just can't get from delivery — it can only come straight from your kitchen!
Cheese-Crusted Pork is the name we gave to this dinner delight, and it makes us giggle every time we read it. A crunchy filet of savory pork is topped with rich tomato sauce and melty, creamy sharp cheese. Mmm, Cheese-Crusted Pork is something you just can't get from delivery — it can only come straight from your kitchen!
Ingredients
For the cutlets:
- 2 (3/4-pound) small pork tenderloins cut crosswise into 4 pieces total, room temperature
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- extra-virgin olive oil to taste
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
- 1 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce warmed
- 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella shredded
Optional, for serving:
- Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste, grated
- prepared tomato sauce to taste, warmed
- fresh parsley to taste, chopped, for serving
Directions
- Using the flat-side of a meat mallet, pound the pork filets into 1/4-inch-thick cutlets.
- Pat the pork cutlets dry with paper towels.
- Lightly season the pork cutlets with the salt and the pepper.
- In a wide, shallow bowl or a glass pie dish, add the flour, the salt, and the pepper and whisk lightly to combine.
- In a second shallow, wide bowl, add the eggs and whisk until beaten well.
- In a third shallow, wide bowl, add the breadcrumbs, the oregano, the salt, and the black pepper.
- One at a time, dredge the cutlets in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
- Dip the flour-coated cutlets into the eggs, allowing the excess to drip off.
- Press the egg-coated cutlets into the breadcrumb mixture, flipping to fully and evenly coat.
- Transfer the breaded cutlets to a wire rack.
- Let the breaded cutlets stand for 10 minutes.
- In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add a scant 1/2-inch of the oil until it is shimmering.
- Add the cutlets in a single layer to the hot oil and cook, flipping them once, until golden-brown and they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes. You may need to cook the cutlets in batches, adding more of the oil as needed before each batch.
- Transfer the cutlets to a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
- Let the cutlets stand until drained, about 5 minutes.
- Position an oven rack about 8 inches from the heating element, then preheat the broiler.
- Top the cutlets evenly with 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce, and the mozzarella.
- Broil the pork chops just until the cheese melts, about 2-4 minutes.
- Serve warm with the extra Parmigiano-Reggiano, the extra tomato sauce, and the chopped parsley.
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