Saltimbocca alla Romana (Veal Scallopine with Prosciutto and Sage)

La storia di questo piatto

Saltimbocca alla Romana is a dish of the Roman table, where veal, prosciutto crudo and a single leaf of fresh sage are bound together as one small, perfect gesture. Its name means 'jump in the mouth', and Rome keeps it as a trattoria classic, simple and unmistakably itself.

Ingredienti

• 8 cutlets Veal cutlets (top round or topside, about 40-50 g each, 350-400 g total)
• 8 slices Prosciutto di Parma
• 8 leaves Fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons Type 00 flour
• 50 g Butter
• 120 ml Dry white wine
• 120 ml Meat broth
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper

Preparazione

1. Place a veal cutlet between two sheets of parchment paper and pound it with a meat mallet (the base of a heavy pan works too), using steady strokes from the center outward, until it reaches an even thickness of about 3 millimeters. Repeat with all the other cutlets.
2. Place a sage leaf in the center of each cutlet, then cover it with a thin slice of prosciutto cut to the same size as the meat. Secure everything with a wooden toothpick (or half a toothpick), inserting it so that it holds the prosciutto, sage and veal together: this is the traditional Roman method and prevents the prosciutto from slipping during cooking.
3. Pour the flour onto a flat plate and lightly dredge each saltimbocca only on the veal side, keeping the prosciutto and sage side away from the flour. Shake off the excess: only a thin veil should remain, otherwise the crust becomes pasty.
4. Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, just before it begins to brown, the butter is ready: do not let it darken.
5. Lay the saltimbocca in the pan veal side down: you should hear a gentle sizzle immediately. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then turn them with a flat spatula and cook the prosciutto side for 30-60 seconds. Add a light grinding of pepper at the end and very little salt, since the prosciutto is already flavorful. Remove the toothpicks if you wish and transfer the saltimbocca to a warm plate (a lukewarm oven at 60-70 °C), covering them loosely.
6. Pour the dry white wine into the same pan, while the cooking juices are still hot, and raise the heat. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits, which carry concentrated flavor. Let it reduce for 1-2 minutes, until the sharp smell of alcohol gives way to a sweet, rounded aroma.
7. Add the meat broth, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the spoon. There is no need to reduce it by half: there should still be enough sauce to dress the saltimbocca. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
8. Return the saltimbocca to the sauce for just a few seconds, long enough to coat them, or arrange them on the warm plate and pour the sauce over and around them, scraping up every last drop. Serve immediately, piping hot: veal this thin cools down quickly.