The name of this dish literally translates to “jump in mouth”, and after taking your first bite of this Roman classic, it will be easy to understand why.
The name of this dish literally translates to “jump in mouth”, and it’s easy to see why. Although the ingredients are minimal, the flavor certainly is not. This Roman classic has many Americanized versions, commonly using chicken as the main protein. However, an authentic Italian saltimbocca always uses veal and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ingredients
- 4 veal fillets (aprox 1lb)
- 4-6 pieces of prosciutto crudo
- 8 large sage leaves (rinsed and dried)
- 30 grams of butter
- ½ cup Italian dry white wine
- pepper
- 8 toothpicks
Instructions
- Pound out the veal until about ¼ inch thick.
- Cover each flattened fillet with a single layer of prosciutto and 2 sage leaves, securing with toothpicks.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat until slightly foamy and it starts to bubble.
- Place the fillets with the sage and prosciutto side down in the pan, cook until crisp, about 1 minute.
- Flip the meat and cook the other side until browned, about another minute.
- Add the wine and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes depending on your preference of doneness, making sure the wine does not evaporate completely or start to burn.
- Remove the meat from the pan, give the wine a good stir making sure to mix all of the juices well and cook a few more minutes to thicken a bit (if necessary).
- Serve hot with the wine sauce drizzled over the meat.
Notes
Unless you have an extra large pan, you should only have room to cook two fillets at a time. If this is the case, start with half the butter and continue to follow the instructions, pouring the wine sauce from the first batch into a dish on the side and keeping the meat under foil as you cook the second batch as it will cool quickly.
