Thin veal escalopes, each secured with a sage leaf and a slice of prosciutto, briefly fried in butter until tender and fragrant. The name means ‘jump into the mouth’, and as quickly as the dish is ready, it is finished just as fast.
Saltimbocca alla romana
Region: Lazio
Saltimbocca alla romana
Region: Lazio
Method
01
Prepare
If they aren't already paper-thin, lightly pound the veal escalopes between two sheets of cling film. Season with pepper (little salt; the prosciutto is already salty).
02
Fill
Lay a sage leaf on each escalope and a slice of prosciutto on top, press down well or secure with a cocktail stick.
03
Dust
Lightly dust the meat side (not the prosciutto side) with flour.
04
Fry
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the escalopes prosciutto side down first for 1–2 minutes, carefully turn and fry the other side for another minute; the meat is thin and cooks in no time.
05
Make the sauce
Take the meat out of the pan and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scrape up the browned bits and reduce briefly to a glossy little sauce.
06
Serve
Return the meat to the pan to warm briefly in the sauce, or spoon the sauce over it on the plate. Serve immediately.
Tips & notes
Fry very briefly and over a firm heat; saltimbocca is ready in a few minutes and dries out quickly if you leave it in the pan too long. Secure the prosciutto with a cocktail stick if you are worried it will come loose during frying; do remove it before serving. Keeps for 2–3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
Variations
- Replace the veal with chicken breast for a more accessible, cheaper version.
- Add a knob of cold butter to the sauce for extra gloss and richness.
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Sulphites
Serve with
| Calories | 161 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
