Money was tight and this fed many. We still love it. Sop this up that Italian bread and you have a fabulous meal in one pot!
Really old fashioned Italian style food right here.
Comfort food, especially in the cooler months.
My grandmother would make this with the leftover Sunday tomato sauce during the weekdays.
If there was beef left then she would use that meat, sometimes even sausage or meatballs.
Whatever was leftover in the Sunday sauce was much time added to this dish, meat wise.
This is an easy meal to feed a large family very economically.
Scroll down for the recipe for ditalini with pork and peas on the printable card below.
Leftovers
I called this dish Italian goulash, I guess that's what it reminded me of.
My mom did make the American Italian version of goulash with crusted meatballs, sauce and elbow macaroni. The only thing missing was peppers.
As I got older I realized it was nothing like goulash, I really love this dish.
Old Fashioned Food
It has so much old-world comfort food taste in a bowl.
I didn't realize until I was grown up that they considered this depression food, as it was inexpensive to make and actually repurposed from Sunday sauce leftovers.
As the years go on with just those cherished memories, there was a lot taught. I learned how to stretch a budget when things were tight with money and still eat like a king.
These meals become more and more asked for because they were great.
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Ditalini with Pork and Peas is pure comfort food.
The best recipes coming out of the 1960 era that was frugal in cost are the best memories and delicious meals to date, I wouldn't change a thing.
I miss the love that went into it, but those memories live on in the kitchen.

Ditalini with Pork and Peas
Yield: 8
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Old fashioned pork with peas and pasta grandma used to make when I was a child
ingredients:
- 1 can 28-ounce Crushed Tomatoes
- 2 pounds Ground Pork
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 can peas
- 1 bell pepper cleaned and cut into slices
- 1 cup ditalini boiled to al dente to package instructions
- Italian seasoning taste around 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 cup Cabernet wine
- salt pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic to taste
- 1 cup water add more if gets too thick
- 1/2 cup Romano cheese and more for the top
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon each:
- oregano
- basil
- parsley
- pinch red pepper flakes
- Optional: 2 cups red beans, 2 bell peppers or hot peppers sliced
instructions:
How to cook Ditalini with Pork and Peas
- Brown the pork, add the seasonings.
- If using beans and peppers add the red beans and peppers and sauce.
- Simmer on low around 25 minutes adding 1/2 cup grated cheese and water to keep it a medium thickness if too thick add more water.
- Boil pasta separately.
- Add ditalini that's been cooked to package instructions al dente' to the sauce.
- Serve in a bowl with grated cheese on top.
Calories
225
225
Fat (grams)
22
22
Sat. Fat (grams)
17
17
Carbs (grams)
9
9
Net carbs
11
11
Don't Forget to Try Some Other Italian Classic Recipes Below:
Escarole Stoup Hearty SoupString Bean Beef Stew
Venison Stew
Chicken Parmesano Pasta Fazool
Chickpeas and Orecchiette Recipe
Pressure Cooker Pork Roast Stew
Wow, this surely is a vintage recipe of the 60's! So comforting and really delicious. I could see my grandson mopping up the sauce with crusty Italian bread! Thanks for sharing old memories, Claudia!xo
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