saltimbocca alla romana
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Loading...Saltimbocca alla Romana perfectly represent the style and "philosophy" of traditional Roman cuisine: a very simple and quick dish that manages to be as tasty and delicious as an elaborate recipe In Rome, I know it well because I was born and have always lived in this city, we love good food but we certainly don't want to waste time in the kitchen. The most famous dishes of our tradition (think also of the "Carbonara") are just like the saltimbocca: they are prepared in 10 minutes but they are so good that they are not forgotten
Ingredients
- Veal (calf walnut) 400 gr (4 slices to cut in 2 for 8 thin saltimbocca)
- Prosciutto (gambuccio) 60gr (8 slices)
- Sage 8 beautiful leaves
- White Flour 1 cup
- Butter 80gr
- Salt
Instructions
Ask your butcher to prepare fairly thin slices of veal and possibly all of the same size. Also buy some sweet prosciutto (like Parma prosciutto): it would be perfect if you could find the "gambuccio" which is the final part of the prosciutto (let's say the vertex of the "triangle" that gives shape to the prosciutto) from which small slices with more fat which are perfect for this preparation
Place each single slice of veal between two sheets of cling film and beat it with a meat mallet so that it thins well. With scissors, make 2 or 3 small cuts on the edges, to prevent them from curling during cooking. Then lightly flour each slice.
Place on each slice a piece of prosciutto, a nice sage leaf (with the opaque part, less beautiful, facing the prosciutto) and skewered with a toothpick so that the three layers remain united during cooking. Make sure that your saltimbocca all have, more or less, the same shape and size
In a large pan, melt the butter, then add the saltimbocca with the prosciutto side facing the bottom of the pan and cook for about 7 minutes. Turn on the other side, and cook until a light crust has formed on the edges. Do not forget to lightly salt the part that is not in contact with the prosciutto. Cooking is essential, pay close attention to it: I usually cook four saltimbocca at a time, adding a little butter each time
Collect the saltimbocca in a serving dish, covering them with aluminum foil because they must be served hot. Degrade the cooking sauce by adding a last knob of butter. Sprinkle the meat with its tasty sauce and bring to the table immediately
Etiquette says that toothpicks should never be brought to the table. For an elegant service, you can remove them delicately. It is a long procedure that risks ruining and cooling the meat; for this reason, in Rome, no one follows the "bon-ton" and you will always find (even at the restaurant) the toothpicks to seal your succulent saltimbocca
Notes
Saltimbocca alla Romana are such a famous recipe that here in Rome there are many variations. Many people use flour in the meat so that, when cooked, it creates a light crunchy patina around the slices Many, again, add a little wine during cooking to better flavor the meat. I am for the basic recipe, but I advise you to try: one of the winning features of Italian cooking is that everyone is absolutely free to customize their own recipe following their own sensitivity and taste
ItalianCookingTips
Saltimbocca alla Romana love butter, which must be really abundant.
Cook the meat in frothy butter until you see a light dark crust form at the edges: then they are ready to jump into your mouth
ItalianCookingTips
The meat in contact with heat tends to shrink and your Saltimbocca alla Romana could curl making it difficult to cook evenly.
For this I make 2 or 3 small cuts with ants on the edges
ItalianCookingTips
The prosciutto must possibly be sweet, like Parma prosciutto, to make the preparation more delicate.
Purists use the “gambuccio” which is the final part of the prosciutto (which is often discarded) from which small slices with a lot of fat are obtained which are perfect for our recipe
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