This Old-School Veal Saltimbocca Is Worth Mastering

Depending on what region you're in, the dish might be made with chicken, pork, or fish instead of veal; pancetta instead of prosciutto; or with a layer of mozzarella under the cured pork. While traditionalists call for cooking and serving saltimbocca flat, many cooks roll the prosciutto and sage inside the veal, making it more akin to involtini, Italy's rolled and stuffed meats. However it's prepared, the dish stays true to its name: saltimbocca literally translates to "jumps in the mouth," an apt description for what happens when you take a bite.

Our recipe is adapted from Lidia Bastianich's 2001 cookbook Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen and incorporates all the signature elements of a classic Roman saltimbocca. Veal cutlets are pounded thin, draped with prosciutto and sage, dredged in flour, and fried until they're crisp. The pan is then deglazed with marsala and chicken stock to create a velvety sauce. The cured pork, fresh herbs, and instant pan sauce do wonders for lean, mild veal, lending the meat an incomparable flavor and texture. It's one of those rare restaurant dishes that's actually easy to make at home. Here's our formula for foolproof saltimbocca.

Place the veal between two sheets of plastic wrap to prevent sticking, then pound with a meat mallet. You’re aiming for a thickness of about ⅛ inch—you want the cutlets to be thin and delicate, but not so thin that they’ll dry out when cooked. Each piece should be of uniform thickness so that the meat cooks evenly and at the same rate. You can also ask your butcher to pound the cutlets for you to get your saltimbocca on the table even faster.

Top each piece of veal with a few slices of prosciutto, then press gently with your fingertips so they adhere well to the meat. While some saltimbocca recipes call for rolling the ham inside the veal, we’re partial to the crispy texture you get from leaving the prosciutto on the outside of the cutlets.

Now comes the fun part: Center two or three fresh sage leaves over the prosciutto and attach them with toothpicks, weaving the toothpicks in and out as if you were taking a stitch. Fastening the sage to the exterior not only makes for a beautiful presentation, but it also allows the herb to release its aromatic oils into the skillet during cooking.

A light coating of flour is key before pan-frying the veal: it encourages the meat to brown, and when the cutlets are returned to the pan just before serving, gives the sauce depth.

Heat equal parts olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high. Cook the cutlets two at a time to avoid overcrowding. You want the the prosciutto to become a crisp ruffle and the veal to lightly brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then discard the grease in the pan. Continue pan-frying the remaining cutlets with more oil and butter.

Once the cutlets are cooked, drain and discard the grease from the pan once more. Return the skillet to the heat, add a splash of marsala, and scrape up all the fond, or the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. For a more acidic sauce, try substituting white wine for the marsala.

Once the pan is deglazed and the wine has reduced by half, pour in a cup of chicken stock (preferably homemade) and reduce by half again. Stir in the remaining butter to create a silky, luscious pan sauce, then drizzle over the cutlets. Or if you prefer a thicker sauce, return the cutlets to the pan and cook for a minute or two.

Serve with crusty bread to soak up those delicious juices, or take a page out of Bastianich’s book and plate with a tangle of garlicky sautéed spinach.