I threw this together tonight and it turned out really good — simple, quick, and under 10 ingredients. It’s something easy to make when you don’t want a big fuss in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
• ½ boneless pork chop (a large medallion cut works great)
• ½ box Borelli penne pasta
• 2 pinches coarse salt (for the pasta water only)
• 2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• ½ cup tomato sauce • 1 tbsp olive oil
• Optional: a small pinch of garlic (fresh or powder), chopped parsley, or cilantro for garnish
Directions:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, then add two pinches of coarse salt.
2. Pour in about half a box of penne pasta and cook 10–12 minutes (up to 15 for softer pasta).
3. While that cooks, dice half of a boneless pork chop into tiny ¼-inch cubes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the Thai sweet chili sauce and spicy brown mustard. Coat the pork pieces in this mixture.
5. Heat the mixture for about 2½ minutes, then stir in ½ cup of tomato sauce.
6. Drain the pasta, drizzle it with 1 tbsp of olive oil to prevent sticking, and toss everything together in a bowl.
7. Add a light sprinkle of garlic or herbs if you want a bit more flavor — totally optional.
It’s simple, sweet-spicy, and satisfying — and it made enough for leftovers too. I always clean as I go (a trick I learned from my dad and grandma), so there’s hardly any mess to deal with afterward!
Kirk
