Piggy Pork Chops Giambotta

I don't usually make recipes from Guy Fieri's shows.
Though I do like him, I feel his food is laden with fat and he uses way too much meat for me. I do enjoy watching him though, and my mouth waters every time, however, that's not the kind of cooking that usually goes on in my kitchen (much to my husband's disappointment).

I love his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I love the 6 egg omelets laden with cheese and grits, and the bacon burgers piled high with avocado, tomatoes and a lb. of Angus beef; the macaroni and cheese with 4 cheeses and breadcrumbs with lobster on top, drizzled in butter, though I probably would never order any of these dishes out or in.

Wonder what Guy's cholesterol is? I don't want to know.

I was sent a preview for his November 26 airing of his show that is featuring a local diner that is close to my house! It's called The Ritz Diner, in Livingston, NJ.
They are famous for their mile high homemade fantastic apple pies. They are to die for.

Guy tries their amazing Pork Chops Giambotta and loves it. What's not to love?
Sausage, fried potatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, yum, yum, yum. All piled obscenely high on top of 2 grilled pork chops.

This is piggy food at its best.

Giambotta (pronounced JAM-BAWT here in New Jersey) is a Southern Italian stew, usually including a lot of vegetables, served as a side dish, and sometimes w/ chicken or sausage.

There are only a few ingredients in this recipe, just be prepared for a messy stove. There is a lot of frying involved.

You can make the giambotta the day before and use it to top the pork the next day, so it's a great make ahead dish.

Pork Chops Giambotta: (adapted from The Ritz Diner, Livingston, NJ)

Two 8 oz pork chops (I buy bone-in chops)
2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Spanish onion, sliced
2 roasted red peppers, sliced (you can use jarred peppers if you like)
4 oz of sweet Italian sausage (sliced)
olive oil (for the Giambotta), and vegetable oil (for the chips)
4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin with a mandoline
salt and pepper
fresh parsley



Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. In a grill pan, grill pork chops to leave grill marks, about 2 minutes on each side.



Place pork chops in a 375° oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

While the pork chops are in the oven, sauté all of the vegetables together in a frying pan with the olive oil until they are golden brown.



Cook your sausage slices in olive oil in a separate small frying pan, and when browned on both sides, add to the vegetable mixture, season with salt & pepper and set aside.



Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes carefully to get paper thin slices. I leave the skins on (and try to leave your fingers on too, while slicing!).



Fry the potato slices in vegetable oil (not olive oil, the olive oil will burn) and season the chips with salt. Using a thin metal fish spatula, turn the potatoes to cook the other side, a few minutes at most. Drain on paper towels and set aside.



Place one pork chop on plate, then place half of the giambotta on top. Place second pork chop on top and place remaining sausage & veggies on top to make a "tower" effect. Take the potatoes and place them around the pork chop tower. Enjoy!



This little piggy was very satisfied!