Roman veal cutlets with prosciutto, sage, and white wine — three ingredients, perfect harmony.
Saltimbocca means 'jumps in the mouth' in Italian — a fitting name for this elegant Roman dish. Tender veal cutlets are topped with a slice of prosciutto and a fresh sage leaf, secured with a toothpick, then quickly pan-fried and finished with a butter-white wine sauce. It's a masterclass in Italian simplicity: just three main ingredients, but the result is sublime.
Serves 4
Pound veal cutlets between plastic wrap until 5mm thick. Season lightly with pepper (no salt — prosciutto is salty).
Lay one prosciutto slice over each cutlet. Place 2 sage leaves on top. Secure with toothpick threading through both layers.
Lightly dust prosciutto-side only with flour. Shake off excess.
Heat 2 tbsp butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming, add cutlets prosciutto-side down. Cook 90 seconds.
Flip cutlets. Cook other side 90 seconds. Transfer to warm plate.
Add wine to pan, scraping browned bits. Reduce by half, 2 minutes. Off heat, swirl in remaining 2 tbsp butter.
Remove toothpicks. Pour sauce over saltimbocca. Garnish with extra sage. Serve immediately.
Don't overcook — veal turns tough quickly. 90 seconds per side is plenty.
Use thin prosciutto so it doesn't overpower the delicate veal.
Use chicken cutlets if veal unavailable.
Add capers to the sauce.
Best fresh. Reheat gently to avoid drying out veal.
Saltimbocca dates to the 1800s in Brescia, but became identified with Rome where it's a trattoria classic.
Traditionally yes, but pork or chicken cutlets work well as substitutes.
Per serving (220g) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes