- 2lbs veal cutlets, ~16 scallops
- 1/2 lb (16 slices) of prosciutto
- 4 sage leaves
- butter (unsalted)/oil (extra virgin)
- toothpicks
- salt/pepper
- dry white wine - pino grigio
- lemons (juice)
- Asparagus
- polenta / potatoes / pasta
- mozzarella on the side
- flour or cornmeal…
This superb dish is usually made with thin cutlets called Scallopini. These thin cutlets are first pounded even thinner with a metal meat tenderizer type pounder; next covered with a thin coating of dry rubbed sage or, in season, a layer of fresh sage leaves and after this, they are covered with a thin slice of Prosciutto which is then pinned to the Scallopini with tooth picks or, better yet, thin metal skewers.
Instead of Scallopini, I prefer to use small rib veal chops about 1/2 an inch thick. They are very tender. I cut the bone almost away but leave it hanging on. A little elegance here. The chop is pounded flat and dressed in the same manner as the scallopini.
Put one tablespoon of unsalted butter and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan, heat and let bubble but not brown. Then cook the veal 3-4 minutes on each side, and remove to warm platter when done. You will have to add equal amounts of butter and oil as you cook, depending on the amount to be cooked.
Now for the pièce de resistance. Most restaurants will deglaze the frying pan, to make a sauce, with a little more butter, or oil or combo of same. Some cook books tell you to use water to deglaze the pan. YUK! Several years ago, we were having Veal Saltimbocca at Ruggiero’s Restaurant in New York City’s Little Italy. The light sauce covering the veal was superb. After a little coaxing, I was told that when the veal was done they added a bit more butter to the pan, melted it and then added a dry white wine to create this delicious sauce. (The sauce is ready when the sharp smell of alcohol was gone.) I like to use half unsalted butter/half extra virgin olive oil and a Chablis or Pinot Grigio for the deglazing. No salt is used with this dish because the Prosciutto supplies it all.
Food Network Saltimbocca
- 1 1/3 pounds thinly sliced veal medallions, from the butcher
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
- Several sprigs fresh sage
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, , 4 turns of the pan
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup white wine, eyeball it
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Season veal scallops with salt and pepper. Layer 1/2 of the medallions with 1 thin slice ham, folded to fit medallion. The edges of the ham can peak out a bit. Place 1 whole sage leaf on top of ham, then place another veal medallion on top of sage leaf. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and saute 1/2 of the veal 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to a warm platter, then repeat with remaining veal.
Transfer the last of the cooked meat to the warm platter and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Add wine to veal pan and scrape up pan drippings with wine and add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Pour pan juices over veal and serve.
Saltimbocca alla Romana
Thoughts of sage bring to mind Saltimbocca, one of the most classic Roman dishes. The name literally translates as hopinthemouth and is singularly appropriate — you can never have too many of these cutlets.
- Prep Time: 10min
- Cook Time: 15min
- Type of Prep: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian
Assuming you want to serve 4 you will need a pound of veal cutlets or scallops (8, each about the size of a playing card), 8 slices of prosciutto, 4 leaves of sage, butter or oil for sautéing, wooden toothpicks, and salt and pepper to taste.
Flatten out the cutlets with the flat of a broad-bladed knife, lay half a leaf of sate on each, and a slice of prosciutto. Affix the prosciutto to the veal with the toothpicks. Heat a couple of tablespoons of sweet butter or oil in a skillet and sauté the cutlets until done, cooking them more on the veal side than the prosciutto side. Season to taste and serve them with their drippings.
As variations, you can sprinkle some (a couple of tablespoons at the most) wine or lemon juice into the pan when the cutlets are almost done. In any case, these will go well with a white wine from the Colli romani.