Have you ever ate something so wonderful, it transported you to a place you’ve never been? That’s what it was like making and eating Marcella Hazan’s Braised Pork with Tomatoes and Sage, Modena Style.

For just a brief moment, after sitting down at our dinner table and taking that first bite, I felt as though the soul of Italy was with me at that moment.

Now, I’m ashamed to admit this, but I have never had braised pork before; actually, I had never eaten any braised meat or fish or vegetables before. Truth be told, I was never anxious to try it, because I was always worried the texture would be too mushy for my liking and I’d offend someone by spitting it out.

I’m happy to repot, however, that there was no spitting out of any food. Not only did the pork pair nicely with the tomatoes and sage, but it still retained its own texture, separate of the sauce it was cooked it. I’m excited for you to try this recipe, so here we go!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pork loin chops, 1/2-inch thick
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup flour, spread on a dish
• 6 to 8 fresh sage leaves
• one 14.5-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

Using medium-high heat, heat the butter and oil in a pan large enough to cook the pork chops in without them overlapping.

While waiting for the butter to cook down and stop foaming, season the pork with salt and pepper; then, lightly dredge the chops in the flour, taking care to shake off any excess flour.

Once the butter foaming has begun to dissipate, toss in the sage, and then gently add in the pork chops.

Cook the pork chops until golden brown. The key here is to not pull on the chops to check their progress too frequently. Have patience, and when you do check, only lift up an edge to peek and see how the browning process is working out. All in all, it should take about 2-3 minutes per side. Getting this part right is crucial, because this is what ensures the pork has its own texture, as I mentioned earlier.

Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pan; at this point, you may use a spoon to taste the tomatoes and begin to season to your liking.

Once satisfied with the flavor, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat, allowing the tomatoes to simmer and finish cooking the pork. This process lasts about 5-7 minutes.

Tip the pan, and use a spoon to remove most of the fat—keeping only about a tablespoon or so in the pan. Serve immediately.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as my wife and I did! This meal alone convinced us to start saying to take a trip to Modena as soon as possible!