Mount Olympus Pork: Pork in Spicy Tomato Sauce

This Mount Olympus Pork is a dish I first cooked in someone else's kitchen back in 2015.

I don't know whether the Greek peasants living in the foothills of this mountain make this dish, but I suspect they do or at least something quite similar. This recipe uses copious amounts of freshly ground black pepper, which gives it a bite, and a little red chilli for some background heat. I think this would work very well being cooked outside over a wood fire.

However, I cooked this in somebody else’s kitchen, not outside.

How to Make This Traditional Mount Olympus Pork

Feeds 2 very hungry peasants.

Ingredients

• 500g pork, cubed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small fresh red chilli, seeds and membrane removed
• 2 heaped tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ litre hot water
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Method

1. Place the pork in a plastic bag together with the flour, turmeric and a big grind of black pepper. Give everything a good shake. Tip the pork onto a plate and shake off the excess flour.
2. To start your Mount Olympus Pork, place a large heavy pan over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. When hot, add the pork and the tablespoon of black pepper and give the pan a good shake. Brown the meat thoroughly.
3. Pour in the vinegar and shake things up a bit. Cook for one minute.
4. Add the onions and carrots. Shake and cook for five minutes.
5. Add the chilli, garlic, oregano and bay leaves. Shake the pan and cook for two minutes.
6. Add the tomato purée, giving everything a gentle stir. Cook for a further two minutes.
7. Now add the hot water and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan tightly and leave it for up to 2½ hours, shaking or stirring gently every 30 minutes or so.

Serve this Mount Olympus Pork with crusty bread to mop up that spicy tomato sauce. It’s a genuine taste of Greece, wherever you are!

If this Mount Olympus Pork brought a bit of Greece to your kitchen, you can buy me a coffee ☕ — it helps keep the site going.

Footnote

This Mount Olympus Pork is part of my Greek Recipes and Pork Recipes collections.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.