Saltimbocca alla Romana (Veal with Prosciutto and Sage)

About This Recipe

Saltimbocca alla romana means 'jumps in the mouth' — a name first attributed to a Roman trattoria that promised the dish was so good it would leap into the diner. It is one of the simplest and best-loved second courses in Roman cuisine: a thinly pounded veal scaloppine topped with a slice of prosciutto crudo (di Parma or di San Daniele) and a fresh sage leaf, secured with a toothpick, then pan-fried in butter for under three minutes total. A splash of dry white wine deglazes the pan and emulsifies with the butter into a silky pan sauce. The whole dish is a study in restraint — only six ingredients, no flour dredge in the strictest Roman version, no garlic, no onion, no tomato. The wine cuts the richness of the butter, the sage perfumes everything, and the prosciutto crisps slightly at the edges. Served with sautéed spinach and the pan sauce poured over, saltimbocca is the kind of dish that proves Italian cooking is mostly about not getting in the way of the ingredients.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8veal scaloppine (60 g each), pounded to 4 mm thick
• 8 slicesprosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced, trimmed to fit the veal
• 8large fresh sage leaves
• 60 gunsalted butter, divided
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 150 mldry white wine (Frascati, Vermentino, or Pinot Grigio)
• freshly ground black pepper
• fine sea salt, sparingly (prosciutto is salty)
• 8wooden toothpicks

Instructions

1. 1

   Pound the veal

   Place each scaloppine between two sheets of cling film and pound with a meat mallet (smooth side) until even at about 4 mm thick. The pieces should roughly be the size of your palm and translucent at the edges. Pat dry with paper towel.

2. 2

   Assemble

   Lay a slice of prosciutto on each veal piece, trimming to fit. Place a sage leaf in the center of the prosciutto. Secure with a single toothpick threaded through all three layers, picking up the sage leaf in the middle.

   Don't season with salt yet — the prosciutto carries plenty. A few grinds of pepper now is fine.

3. 3

   Heat the pan

   Heat 30 g of butter with the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams. The oil prevents the butter from burning. The pan should be hot enough that the veal sizzles loudly when it goes in.

4. 4

   Sear prosciutto-side down

   Place the saltimbocca prosciutto-side down in the pan. Cook 60–90 seconds — the prosciutto should crisp and the sage perfume the kitchen. Don't crowd the pan; work in two batches if necessary.

5. 5

   Flip and finish

   Flip with tongs and cook the veal side 60 seconds — veal is delicate and cooks fast. The flesh should be just barely pink in the very center. Transfer to a warm platter, prosciutto-side up.

6. 6

   Make the pan sauce

   Pour the white wine into the hot pan. Boil hard 90 seconds, scraping the fond with a wooden spoon, until reduced by half. Off heat, swirl in the remaining 30 g butter in two additions to emulsify into a glossy sauce.

7. 7

   Serve immediately

   Pull the toothpicks. Spoon the pan sauce over the saltimbocca and serve at once — saltimbocca waits for no one. Accompany with sautéed spinach with garlic, or buttered green beans.

Variations

• •

  With Marsala — replace the white wine with sweet Marsala for a richer, more Sicilian-influenced version (not technically 'romana' anymore).

• •

  Chicken saltimbocca — substitute thinly pounded chicken breast for the veal; widely served in Italian-American restaurants but rare in Rome.

• •

  Pork loin saltimbocca — pounded pork tenderloin medallions work beautifully and are cheaper than veal.

• •

  Vegetarian — replace the veal with thick slices of grilled portobello and skip the prosciutto, using a slice of provolone instead.

Storage

Saltimbocca is a same-day dish — the prosciutto goes soggy in the fridge. If you must keep leftovers, refrigerate up to 24 hours and reheat very briefly in a hot pan, never microwave. Prep ingredients can be assembled (uncooked) up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated under cling film.

Frequently Asked Questions