Veal Saltimbocca Alla Romana for Tyler Florence Fridays

I am on a roll with Tyler Florence's Eat This Book; my last two Tyler Florence Friday picks came from it and now this week's pick as well. This one happened by fate. I noticed Whole Foods had some beautiful looking, free-raised veal cutlets, haven't eaten any veal in ages and figured Tyler would have a good recipe to use them in.  I originally was going to do a picatta, but this recipe for Veal Saltimbocca Alla Romana caught my eye.  

Tyler says:  "This is a dish made famous in the small trattorias of Rome. It's classic, impressive, and incredibly easy."

Veal Saltimbocca Alla Romana
Eat This Book, Tyler Florence

Serves 4

4 (5-ounce) thinly sliced veal cutlets (scallopini)
4 slices thinly sliced prosciutto
8 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
Lemon wedges, for serving

Put the veal cutlets side by side on a sheet of plastic wrap. Lay a piece of prosciutto on top of each piece of veal and cover with another piece of plastic. Gently flatten the cutlets with a rolling pin or meat mallet, until the pieces are about 1/4-inch thick and the prosciutto has adhered to the veal. Remove the plastic wrap and lay a couple of sage leaves in the center of each cutlet. Weave a toothpick in and out of the veal to secure the prosciutto and sage.


Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to combine. Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and in a large skillet over medium flame. Put the veal in the pan, prosciutto-side down first. Cook for 3 minutes to crisp it up and then flip the veal over and saute the other side for 2 minutes, until golden. Transfer the saltimbocca to a serving platter, remove the toothpicks, and keep warm.

Add the wine to the pan, stirring to bring up all the delicious flavor in the bottom; let the wine cook down for a minute to burn off some of the alcohol. Add the chicken broth and remaining tablespoon of butter, swirl the pan around. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the saltimbocca, garnish with sage leaves and lemon wedges; serve immediately.

Notes/Results:  It's everything Tyler says it is and more; fast, easy and incredibly delicious.  It takes under 30 minutes to prepare and the flavors of the sage, prosciutto and the sauce make the tender veal sing.  I learned (from Natashya) that Saltimbocca means "jumps in in mouth" and this dish really does.  I actually made it last Saturday, coming home from a chocolate cooking class (more on that and a Salted Caramel Tart recipe to be posted soon), drenched and cold from the dash to my car in the pouring down rain.  I wasn't really in the mood to cook but needed something warming and fast and I had this dish to the table in under 25 minutes. Tyler recommends serving it with the Baked Polenta with Brown Butter and Pine Nuts (I may have to try that one next) and Braised Escarole with Garlic and Lemon, also from Eat This Book.  I really wanted pasta so I did a fresh angel hair in a little butter, parsley, lemon and a touch of chopped sage.  I halved the recipe and made two cutlets and was a very happy camper that night and then next day at lunch.  I was so hungry and it smelled so good, that I didn't have patience for taking many good pictures--but you get the idea from these.  Although I rarely eat veal, I will make this recipe again.  

Do you love Tyler as much as we do?  If so, consider joining us for Tyler Florence Fridays (TFF).  You have the flexibility to choose which Tyler  recipe you want to make each week, based on your needs.  You can get the details at the TFF site here and also check out the weekly round up  to see what the other TFF bloggers made this week and get their  expert feedback on their picks.

 

Feeling soupy? (or noodle-y, or stew-y) and want to drop by and share your comforting creation? Join me for Souper Sundays! All you need to do is make a soup, stew, chili, slow cooker dish, etc. (Really almost anything that is served in a bowl will work!) Send me an email or leave a comment before Sunday and let me know you'll be stopping by and I'll add you to that week's round up so you can share your souper creation. You can make and post the soup any time, I just round them up on Sundays.