Fried Pork Rolls with Ham

• Recipe by Mario Batali

Claudia Bassols, the Spanish actress who joined the Americans on their road trip, has a love for pork that rivals Mario Batali’s own. In Andalucía, she was particularly fond of the flamenquines, decadent fried pork cutlets wrapped around jamón (ham).

Ingredients

1. Eight 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (3 ounces each)
2. Freshly ground pepper
3. 8 thin slices of serrano ham
4. All-purpose flour, for dusting
5. 2 large eggs
6. 1 tablespoon milk
7. 1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs
8. Pure olive oil, for frying
9. Mayonnaise, for serving

Directions

1. Working with 1 pork chop at a time, place in a resealable plastic bag and pound into a 1/4-inch-thick cutlet. Arrange the cutlets on a work surface and season with pepper. Cover each cutlet with a slice of ham and, starting with the short end, roll tightly into a cylinder. Dust with the flour.
2. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Put the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip the pork rolls in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs, pressing them on lightly. Transfer to a plate.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the pork rolls and fry over moderate heat, turning, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 155°, about 5 minutes. Transfer the rolls to paper towels. Serve hot, with mayonnaise.

Make Ahead

The breaded pork rolls can be refrigerated overnight. Let return to room temperature before frying.

Serve With

French fries or another kind of fried potatoes.