Romanian Tochitura Recipe

a plate with tochitura or moldavian sausage stew with a fried egg on top.

5 from 4 votes

The tochitura recipe is a traditional Romanian or Moldavian stew made with pork sausage and meat, cheese, and eggs. It is typically served with polenta.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Meat Recipes

Cuisine: Romanian

Servings: servings

Calories: 759kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Cast iron skillet or another large frying pan
Another pan for the eggs

Ingredients

Tochitura:

1 lb pork neck 500 g, Note 1
1 tablespoon lard or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion finely chopped
4 small pork sausages preferably coarsely-ground and smoked, Note 2
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine 250 ml

To serve:

4 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3.5 oz feta cheese 100 g, Note 3
parsley fresh and chopped
polenta
pickled vegetables

Instructions

Chop the pork into rather small cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels.
1 lb pork neck/ 500 g
Brown pork cubes: Melt the lard or heat the oil in the pan. Brown the meat all over. Do this in two batches if necessary, don't overcrowd the pan.
1 tablespoon lard
Add onion: Return all the meat cubes to the pan and add the finely chopped onion and about ½ teaspoon salt.
1 large onion
Simmer pork: Add ¼ of cup water, cover, and cook gently for about 20 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add a splash of water or so if necessary, if you notice that the dish becomes too dry.
Start cooking soft polenta or mamaliga now.
Add sausages: Cut the sausages into slices, about 0.5 inch/ 1 cm thick. Chop the garlic finely. Add the sausages, garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, and wine to the pan.
4 small pork sausages + 3 garlic cloves + 2 tablespoons tomato paste + 2 bay leaves + 1 cup dry white wine/ 250 ml
Simmer tochitura: Cover again, and continue cooking for 10 minutes or so until the meat is very tender and the sausages are cooked through. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
Fry the eggs: In the meantime, heat the vegetable oil and fry the eggs in a large pan.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 4 eggs
Serve tochitura: Divide the stew between four serving dishes, add a fried egg and some cheese on top. Sprinkle parsley over the dish and serve hot with polenta and pickled vegetables.
3.5 oz feta cheese/ 100 g + parsley

Notes

Pork: I used pork neck, but other pork cuts work, too. Avoid very lean cuts; fattier parts are better.
Sausages: Tochitura is typically made with traditional Romanian sausages. Use coarsely ground, preferably smoked, sausages.
Cheese: Traditionally, brânză de burduf is a sharp, delicious sheep’s milk cheese from Romania. If you can’t find it, sheep’s milk feta cheese is a good substitute.

Nutrition