When in Prague: Pork and Potatoes

If there's one thing Czechs are known for, besides beer, it's cooking pork and potatoes. This is something they have down to a science, a traditional meal that can be found in almost every home, pub, and restaurant.

So sure, if you want some řízek (what we Americans call Schnitzel), it's easy enough to head down to the local pub and order some. But it's also easy enough to cook at home (I swear).

My mom has been making breaded pork cutlets for me since I was little, so this is actually a Czech-style meal I am not afraid to cook. And while I don't have a family recipe for it, the same way I do for meatballs or stuffed artichokes, it is fairly simple to make, and chances are you already have most of the ingredients you need at home already.

The nice thing about living in a country where this is a staple meal is that it's easy to find the proper cuts of meat you need in any market. I used pork here, but you can use chicken or veal as well.

To make the cutlets, all you need is flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs.

For the roasted potatoes, the ways you can season them are endless. I usually coat them in oil and either a dry dressing or soup packet, or you can mix up your own spices if you're feeling especially creative.
Line a roasting pan with foil, spread the coated potatoes evenly, pour remaning mix on top, and roast in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes, testing with a fork to make sure they're done.


I served mine with tartar sauce (of course), but you can serve with any sauce or dressing you like.

And that's it! A really simply dish that uses few ingredients, but is high in flavor.


Pork cutlets with roasted potatoes

Serves 2-4

3-6 boneless pork cutlets
3/4-1 cup all purpose flour
1-2 eggs
3/4-1 cup breadcrumbs
2-3 large potatoes
1 packet dry soup or dressing mix (or your own spice mix)
3-4 tbsp olive oil
oil for frying

Preheat oven to 190° C and line a shallow roasting pan with foil. Cut potatoes into small wedges, and place into large bowl. Add seasoning packet (soup/dressing mix or your own) and generously coat with 3-4 tbsp of olive oil. Mix until potatoes are well coated with oil and seasoning. Line out flat on roasting pan and place into oven. After 20 minutes, flip potatoes so they do not burn. Remove after 45 minutes, or when potato wedges can be easily pierced with fork.

While potatoes are roasting, coat a frying pan with oil (about 1/4 inch) and place on stove over medium-high heat. Crack eggs and whisk in a shallow bowl. Make an assembly line with the flour, beaten eggs, and breadcumbs each in a separate bowl. Take one cutlet, coat with flour, shaking off excess. Then coat with egg mixture, and finally breadcrumbs. Place cutlet into heated frying pan and cook 3-5 minutes each side. Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Once cooked place them on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Serve with tartar sauce or your favorite condiment or dressing.