Gourmet Italian

photo credit: daveyll

One Italian specialty food that is a real treat and not too hard to make is Veal Saltimbocca.  The word Saltimbocca means “jumps in the mouth” because it is so good it almost jumps in your mouth!

This dish is made with either veal, chicken or pork.  The dish was invented in Italy in the 1800′s, but it is also quite popular in Greece, Spain and Switzerland.  The dish is one of meat, sage, cheese and prosciutto and some type of wine.  The dish begins with the pounding of the meat to make it soft and thin.  This part of the process is extremely important since the thin meat readily absorbs all of flavors of the dish and renders it extremely tender.  This dish is served with its own drippings to give it full flavor.

Many Italian specialty food recipes for Saltimbocca call for marinating the meat prior to beginning.  However, I prefer and quicker version called Saltimbocca alla Romana.  You can probably guess from the name that the dish originated in Rome – where it remains a specialty today.  This dish calls for veal cutlets, prosciutto, butter and/or olive oil and Marsala or dry white wine.  Remember not to use salt, as the prosciutto provides all the salt you need.

Italian Specialty Food:  Saltimbocca alla Romana

Have ready 12 veal cutlets pounded 1/8 of an inch thin, 1/4 pound prosciutto or boiled ham, paper thin and 1/4 pound of sliced Swiss cheese.  It is best if the veal is in somewhat of a square shape.

Start by mixing together 1/2 teaspoon each of crushed dried sage leaves and black pepper.  Rub this mixture all over one side of the meat.  Divide the ham and cheese over the top of this.  Now roll up carefully from one side and secure with toothpicks.

Now brown these rolls in 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of good olive oil on all sides over high heat for 5 or 10 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat and put the veal rolls only in a 31 x 9 baking dish – leaving the drippings in the pan.

Start heating your oven to 325 degrees.  Take your pan of drippings and stir in 3 tablespoons of flour, 3/4 cup Marsala or white wine and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Bring this to a boil and pour over the rolls in the baking dish.  Be sure to cover with foil to keep them very moist and bake for 35 minutes.

Although this dish doesn’t call for it, I like to sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice into the pan just before the veal is done to brighten the flavors.  Garnish with parsley and serve!

If you would like to make this dish with beef instead of veal, you will have to cook it about twice as long.

I have also served this cold as an appetizer.  I just make it the day before and put it in the frig.  I then slice in into “finger food size” pieces and put it on a platter surrounded with parsley.

Watch this dish being made with chicken at the Whole Foods store in New York City right here!

I hope you will try this Italian specialty food recipe!  Mangia Bene!

Mangia Bene!