Schabowe — Polish breaded pork chops
“Most problems are a thin cutlet beaten flat: they only look big before you start.”
If Poland had one national dinner, this would be it: a thin pork chop, beaten flat, breaded, fried golden. Twenty minutes from fridge to plate, and the leftovers make the best sandwich you will eat this week.
Ingredients
- 4 pork loin chops, boneless, cut about 1 cm thick
- flour, a few tablespoons on a plate, for coating
- 2 eggs
- a splash of water
- black pepper
- all-purpose seasoning (Vegeta or similar)
- a few shakes of Maggi
- breadcrumbs, optional but traditional
- oil for frying
Steps
- Beat the chops flat. A meat hammer is ideal, the bottom of a heavy pan works. Aim for about half a centimetre; thin cooks fast and stays tender.
- Make the egg wash. Eggs, a splash of water, pepper, seasoning and Maggi in a shallow bowl, mixed with a fork.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Enough to cover the bottom generously.
- Coat. Each chop first in flour, then in the egg, then, if you are doing it properly, in breadcrumbs.
- Fry. Into the pan and leave it alone. Do not poke, do not shuffle. Three to four minutes a side, until golden and crisp.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and something sour on the side: cucumber salad, sauerkraut, or pickles.
Tips
- Chicken breast works the same way; beat it a little thinner.
- This is what a proper pork chop hammer looks like. The heavy end is for the meat, the flat end is for your flatmate who ate the last chop.
