Tochitură — Pork and Polenta Stew

Romanian Non Fasting Published April 21, 2026

Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

A Transylvanian shepherd's meal turned national institution — cubes of pork pan-seared with smoked
sausage and bacon, simmered in wine and paprika, served over mămăligă with a fried egg on top and
a wedge of cheese on the side. Tochitură is the ultimate Romanian weekend breakfast-that-becomes-lunch.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (pork, eggs, cheese)

SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
- 800 g pork shoulder or neck, cut into 2 cm chunks
- 200 g smoked sausage (kabanos or Polish kielbasa), sliced
- 150 g smoked bacon, diced
- 2 large onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons lard or sunflower oil
- 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 300 ml dry red or white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 500 ml water or broth
- Salt and black pepper

For serving:
- Mămăligă (see separate recipe, 1.5 recipes for this)
- 6 eggs, fried sunny-side up
- 200 g sheep cheese (telemea) or feta, crumbled
- Sliced hot pepper and pickles

METHOD:
1. Heat lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook 3 minutes until fat renders. Add pork, brown in batches, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add sliced sausage to the pot. Cook 3 minutes.
3. Add onions and cook 8 minutes until golden.
4. Add garlic, sweet paprika, hot paprika, and thyme. Cook 30 seconds.
5. Deglaze with wine. Scrape up browned bits. Let bubble 2 minutes.
6. Add tomato paste, water, bay leaves, and return pork with any juices. Simmer covered on low heat for 60-75 minutes until pork is fork-tender and sauce has thickened.
7. Uncover and reduce 10 minutes if sauce is still thin. Taste for salt and pepper.
8. Serve: spoon mămăligă onto each plate. Ladle tochitură over. Top with a fried egg. Scatter crumbled cheese over. Serve with hot pepper and pickles.

NOTES:
- Tochitură is a breakfast dish in the Transylvanian and Moldovan mountain tradition. City restaurants now serve it at all hours.
- The combination of fresh pork, smoked sausage, and smoked bacon is what gives tochitură its depth. Do not skip any of the three.
- The fried egg on top is non-negotiable. The yolk runs into the polenta and sauce and completes the dish.
- A small glass of țuică (plum brandy) is the traditional accompaniment.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 780 | Protein: 42 g | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Fat: 50 g | Fibre: 3 g