WEDNESDAY

South Philly-Style Pork Sandwiches  |  Homemade Applesauce

Shortly after I finished my undergraduate degree {and during our engagement}, Michael and I moved to Philadelphia.  He was working and I was in graduate school. We fell in love with that City and it’s wonderfully varied neighborhoods…Chestnut Hill, South Philly, The Main Line.  It didn’t take long for Michael to become a huge fan of the famed philly cheesesteak sandwich, eventually pledging his loyalty to Pat’s {King of Steaks} on East Passyunk Avenue.

Although the philly cheesesteak has a tendency of stealing the spotlight in South Philly, there is another sandwich that makes this neighborhood a destination for sandwich lovers…the Roast Pork Sandwich.  For that sandwich, an inexpensive cut of pork {usually the shoulder} is covered in garlic and herbs & slow-roasted.  Add to that some broccoli rabe which has been blanched and then sautéed in olive oil, minced garlic & crushed red pepper and finally some melted provolone…all served on a crusty Italian roll.  It is an amazing sandwich!

With that being said, there was no doubt in my mind how we would be using the left-overs from Sunday evening’s dinner {Braised Pork Shoulder with Apple Cider & Ginger Beer  and  Sautéed Broccolini with Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes}.

South Philly-Style Roast Pork Sandwiches

• 5 cups left-over Braised Pork Shoulder with Apple Cider & Ginger Beer, shredded, and at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10-12 pieces, Sautéed Broccolini with Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes
• 4-5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 rustic sandwich rolls {or 1 large rustic loaf}, split in half
• 5 slices, provolone cheese

1. Preheat oven to 500°F.
2. Remove left-over pork from refrigerator and let come to room temperature {2 hours}.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering and add left-over broccolini…cook until just heated through {3-4 minutes}.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat butter in a large skillet {or roasting pan} and then add rolls, face side down in pan.  Cook over medium-high heat until golden brown.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
5. Onto each roll, add 1 cup of shredded meat.  Followed by two pieces of broccolini and topped with 1 piece of provolone cheese torn in half.
6. Place baking sheet with sandwiches {open-faced} into oven and cook until cheese melts {5 minutes}.  Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer sandwiches to individual plates and serve immediately with applesauce.

Tonight’s dinner was made that much easier because I had canned some fresh applesauce last weekend.  But if you want to make for tonight, here is the recipe…

• 2 lemons, juiced
• 6 Granny Smith Apples
• 6 Pink Lady apples {or other red sweet variety}
• ¼ cup organic apple juice
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Juice the two lemons & strain juice into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Peel, core & quarter the apples and toss with the lemon juice in a large glass bowl.
4. Transfer the apples and remaining lemon juice to a Dutch oven.
5. Add the butter, cinnamon & nutmeg and cover the pot
6. Bake for 1½ hours {or until the apples are quite soft}.   Remove the pot from the oven and mash apples with a potato masher.  Serve warm or cold.

 

{This recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten’s Perfect Applesauce recipe}

Tonight’s dinner brought back so many wonderful memories that we enjoyed sharing {again} with the children.  They, themselves, have been to Philadelphia and have heard these stories many times before…but they still get the biggest kick listening to them, again & again…so funny!