Entree: Romania – Moldavia – Tochitură Moldovenească (Hearty Moldavian pork and smoked-meat stew in a rich tomato-wine sauce served with polenta and fried egg)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hrs

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 8 oz (225 g) smoked bacon or slănină, diced
- 8 oz (225 g) smoked sausages (kabanos or smoked Romanian sausage), sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- 14 oz (400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard
- 1 cup (150 g) yellow cornmeal (polenta) for mămăligă
- 3 cups (720 ml) water for mămăligă
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt for mămăligă
- 2 tbsp (30 g) butter for mămăligă
- 1/2 cup (60 g) crumbled telemea or feta cheese (optional) for mămăligă
- 4 large eggs, approx. 200 g total, for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Pat the pork shoulder cubes dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil or lard over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the pork shoulder in batches until well seared on all sides; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
3. In the same pot, add diced bacon and cook until it renders fat and begins to crisp. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
4. Return the pork to the pot with the sliced smoked sausage. Sprinkle in the paprika, add the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen the paste's flavor.
5. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and a splash of water if needed to just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially and cook gently for 1–1.25 hours until pork is tender and sauce is thickened.
6. While the stew simmers, prepare the mămăligă: bring 3 cups (720 ml) water and 1 tsp (5 g) salt to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and pulling away from the sides, about 15–20 minutes. Stir in butter and optional crumbled cheese, then cover and keep warm.
7. In a small skillet, fry the eggs to preferred doneness (sunny-side up or over-easy) in a little oil or butter.
8. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
9. To serve, spoon mămăligă onto plates, ladle the tochitură over the polenta, top each portion with a fried egg and sprinkle with chopped parsley.