You can easily substitute stewing beef, veal ,lamb or even chicken for this dish, we prefer pork or veal.
Simmer the protein in lightly salted water for 30-45mins(Mom insists 1 hour + but that’s just crazy talk), skimming the “scum” frequently, to create a stock and reduce cooking time in the oven.
Dice one cubanelle or green pepper and one med size white onion, and half a carrot and sauté in a mix of veg oil and olive oil(more olive oil than veg) with salt, black pepper and a pinch of dried oregano, till the onions have caramelized slightly and then add a table spoon of paprika(not smoked), cook for 45 seconds, add a table spoon of tomato paste and canned tomatoes(or diced fresh) and cook out for 30 seconds, add orzo(I do about a pack and a half) to the mixture and stir until the orzo is covered with the oil and tomato mixture, maybe 20-30 seconds, you can add fresh chopped garlic to this dish but that’s a no no in mom’s kitchen for some reason.
After the protein has finished simmering, add it to the mixture, stir and add the stock, how much you add is up to you, the more you add the soupier it will be(which is how Pops like it), add salt and pepper to taste, I like it a bit drier and you can always add more during the cooking process. bake in a 350 degree oven until the orzo is cooked, approximately 20-25 mins but that depends on your oven and how al dente you want it.
Ideally you should only have to use 2 pieces of cookware for this dish, one to simmer the protein and one to sauté the veg and bake it in the oven, no such luck at my mom’s place I use 3(eye roll) . A good cast iron rondeau or any oven proof piece that can hold the liquid should do the trick for the sauté and baking, and always check the seasoning during the cooking process and adjust accordingly. Serve with fresh, crusty rustic bread and enjoy!
Sorry about the vague ingredient amounts and quantities, but I just do everything by eye, mom used her hands and favorite tea cups to measure her ingredients so…
Remember, you can always add more of something to you recipe but you can’t take it away.
I had some leftover veal stock that I subbed for water, you could use chicken stock as well to simmer the pork and make sure you save that “stock” for later!
