Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 4 SERVINGS

- 12 veal scallops, about 1 Ib (500 g) total weight, each about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
- 12 very thin prosciutto slices, about 1/4 Ib (125 g) total weight
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- All-purpose (plain) flour for dusting
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio

Saltimbocca means "jump in the mouth", a tip-off that this dish is particularly tasty. Elsewhere in Italy, saltimbocca can mean other recipes, but qualified by alla romana, it refers to thin-sliced veal, prosciutto, and fresh sage, a staple herb of the Roman garden. Some recipes cali for folding the layered ingredients in half, while others shape them into small, neat involtini (rolls). But the standard procedure, given here, is to secure the sage to the stacked veal and prosciutto with a toothpick. Pour a big-flavored white wine at the table.

One at a time, piace the veal scallops between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently with a meat pounder to flatten them somewhat; they do not need to be paper-thin. Trim the prosciutto slices so they are slightly shorter than the veal slices. Lay a slice of prosciutto on top of each slice of veal, and then top with a sage leaf. Secure the layers together with a toothpick.

Spread the flour in a shallow dish. In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Lightly dust the veal bundles with the flour, shaking off the excess. Working in batches, piace the veal, prosciutto side down, in the melted butter and brown gently, about 1 minute. Turn the veal and brown the other side, about 1 minute. Season with pepper and, if the prosciutto you are using is not very salty, season with salt as well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the veal is a light golden brown and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the veal to a warmed platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining veal bundles.

When all of the veal bundles have been cooked and removed from the pan, raise the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and bring to a boil. Deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom.

Pour the hot pan sauce over the veal and serve at once.

Buon appetito !