Saltimbocca is Italian for ‘jumps in the mouth’ as that is exactly what this combination of tender veal, salty prosciutto and fragrant sage will do. Although commonly associated with Rome and often referred to as Saltimbocca alla Romana, the dish is actually believed to have originated in Brescia (which is where prosciutto is produced) and to have travelled down to Rome over time.
“Saltimbocca is thought to have been invented in Brescia, where the name loosely translates as ‘jump in the mouth’ – so you can be confident that it will taste great and the people you cook it for won’t be able to eat it fast enough. ”
Ingredients :
- 4 x 150 g higher-welfare veal escalopes
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 8 slices of higher-welfare prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- olive oil
- 1 good swig of marsala
- 1 lemon
HOW TO PREPARE :
- Place the veal escalopes on a chopping board, leaving a little space between them. Cover with clingfilm and, using your fists or a rolling pin, bash them out until they are about 5mm thick, then discard the clingfilm.
Season both sides of the flattened veal with a little black pepper (there’s no need for salt as the prosciutto is quite salty). Lay 2 sage leaves flat on each piece of veal, then place 2 pieces of prosciutto on top to cover the meat, and fold over the sides to neaten up.
- Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp butter and a drizzle of oil. Add 2 escalopes to the pan and fry for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- When done, remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Fry the other 2 escalopes in the same way, then remove to the plate, cover with foil and set aside.
- Put the pan back on the heat, add the remaining butter and the marsala and simmer for 1 minute until you have a lovely sweet, glossy sauce.
- Serve the saltimbocca with pasta, polenta or boiled or roast potatoes, and cut the lemon into wedges for squeezing over.
Serving suggestions :
Saltimbocca can be simply served with lots of crusty bread or some crispy fried potatoes and a simple salad. Russell Brown serves his Saltimbocca with a potato salad and zingy lemon gel. It also goes really well with a creamy bowl of polenta.