Tochitura

Ingredients

• 700g pork shoulder, cut into small cubes
• 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 300g smoked kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup cornmeal (for mămăligă)
• 3 cups water, for the mămăligă
• 4 eggs
• 100g crumbled feta or telemea cheese
• Chopped parsley, to serve

Before you cook

• Cut the pork shoulder into small cubes and pat dry.
• Chop the onion.
• Slice the smoked sausage.
• Mince the garlic.

Steps

1. Heat the lard in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the pork cubes in batches for 5 minutes per batch, without crowding the pot.
3. Return all the pork to the pot and add the chopped onion.
4. Add a splash of water, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until the pork is nearly tender.
5. Stir in the sliced sausage and minced garlic.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika.
7. Return the pot to the heat and stir in the tomato paste.
8. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
9. Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper.
10. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the pork is fully tender, adding water if the pot looks dry.
11. Bring the 3 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot for the mămăligă.
12. Whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream.
13. Reduce the heat to low and cook the cornmeal for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick and smooth.
14. Fry the eggs in a separate pan until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
15. Spoon the mămăligă onto plates.
16. Ladle the tochitura over or beside the mămăligă.
17. Top each plate with a fried egg and crumbled cheese.
18. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.