Pork Chops and Spaghetti

The twins are due any day. Carmen is at full capacity — week thirty-seven, the point where twin pregnancies often decide they're done waiting, the babies ready to meet the world whether the parents are ready or not. Mark calls more frequently now — daily, sometimes twice, the Navy composure cracking under the pressure of imminent fatherhood. He asks questions he'd never ask in normal circumstances: "Grace, how do you hold a baby?" I say, "Support the head." He says, "Which one?" I say, "They both have heads, Mark." The comedy of first-time parenthood, performed by a man who has commanded naval operations but cannot figure out how to assemble a crib.

Lourdes is on standby. The lumpia are packed — four hundred, frozen, ready to ship overnight the moment the babies arrive. Four hundred. The number has increased from the standard three hundred because twins require, in Lourdes's estimation, thirty-three percent more lumpia. The math is Lourdes math. The love is Lourdes love. Both are generous to the point of absurdity and both are perfect.

I made pork sinigang — the sour soup, the standby, the soup I make when waiting and the waiting needs a container. The tamarind was extra sour. The sourness matched the anticipation — the sharp, bright, attention-demanding flavor of waiting for something that is about to happen, any moment, any day, the phone about to ring with the news that the family has expanded by two.

The sinigang carried me through the waiting, but once the anticipation shifts from simmer to full boil — once the phone actually rings — you need something that feeds a crowd fast, something that says celebration without requiring you to stand at the stove for three hours. Pork Chops and Spaghetti is exactly that: pork front and center, a sauce that goes just a little sour and savory all at once, and enough volume to feed whoever shows up at your door the moment the good news lands. I made a batch the night I packed my bag, just in case Mark called at two in the morning. He probably will.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 bone-in pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
12 oz spaghetti
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

Season the pork. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Sear the chops. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops for 3—4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside; they do not need to be fully cooked through yet.
Build the sauce. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook 3—4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
Add tomatoes and simmer. Pour in crushed tomatoes. Add sugar, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine. Return pork chops to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20—25 minutes, until pork is cooked through and tender.
Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
Finish and serve. Remove pork chops from the sauce. Toss drained spaghetti into the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen. Plate spaghetti topped with a pork chop. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pork Chops and Spaghetti — The Soup That Holds the Waiting