Chef Graziella
Abbacchio a Scottadito
Roman lamb chops grilled over scorching heat, seasoned with nothing but salt, rosemary, and fire. You eat them with your hands, straight from the grill, burning your fingers because you cannot wait.
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Saltimbocca alla Romana
Created by
Thin veal escalopes crowned with prosciutto and sage, seared quickly in butter until the meat is tender and the ham crisps at the edges. Roman cooking at its most direct and satisfying.
Main Dishes
Italian, Roman
Weeknight
Quick Meal
Date Night
10 min
Active Time
8 min cook•18 min total
Yield4 servings
Saltimbocca means 'jump in the mouth,' and the name tells you everything. This is not subtle food. It is immediate, emphatic, and impossible to ignore. The sage perfumes the butter. The prosciutto crisps against the hot pan. The veal, pounded thin enough to cook in moments, remains tender and yielding beneath.
Rome claims this dish, though the Brescians will argue. I will not settle that quarrel here. What matters is that saltimbocca belongs to a tradition of quick cooking that respects the ingredient rather than transforming it. The veal is not braised into submission. It is barely cooked at all, seared just long enough to turn opaque, then finished with wine and butter.
There are three ingredients that matter: veal, prosciutto, sage. The butter is a cooking medium, the wine a finishing touch. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. No garlic. No tomato. No herbs beyond the sage. This is not a dish that needs anything more.
Saltimbocca appears in Roman cookbooks by the late 19th century, though it likely existed in trattorias long before anyone wrote it down. The Brescians claim it originated in Lombardy; the Romans dismiss this as provincial fantasy. What is certain is that by the mid-20th century, saltimbocca alla Romana had become synonymous with the cooking of the capital.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
veal escalopes
Quantity
8 (about 3 ounces each)
pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
prosciutto di Parma
Quantity
8 thin slices
fresh sage leaves
Quantity
16
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons
dry white wine
Quantity
1/2 cup
fine sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| veal escalopespounded to 1/4-inch thickness | 8 (about 3 ounces each) |
| prosciutto di Parma | 8 thin slices |
| fresh sage leaves | 16 |
| unsalted butter | 4 tablespoons |
| dry white wine | 1/2 cup |
| fine sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Large heavy skillet (12-inch)
- •Meat pounder or rolling pin
- •Thin metal spatula
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the veal
If your butcher has not already done so, pound the veal escalopes between sheets of plastic wrap until uniformly thin, about one-quarter inch. They should be nearly translucent at the edges. Season the veal lightly with salt and pepper on one side only. The prosciutto provides salt, so restraint is essential.
Ask your butcher for veal cut from the top round or leg, sliced against the grain. Pounding is easier if the meat is cold. - 2
Assemble the saltimbocca
Lay one slice of prosciutto on the unseasoned side of each veal escalope. The prosciutto should cover most of the meat but need not be trimmed to fit precisely. Place two sage leaves on top of the prosciutto. Press gently so everything adheres. No toothpicks. They are for amateurs who cannot control their pan temperature.
- 3
Sear the first side
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foam subsides and begins to brown slightly, add as many saltimbocca as will fit without crowding, prosciutto-side down. Sear without moving until the prosciutto crisps and the edges of the veal turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
The pan must be hot enough that the meat sizzles immediately upon contact. If it does not, wait. A crowded pan steams the meat instead of searing it. - 4
Finish the veal
Turn each piece carefully with a spatula. The prosciutto side should be golden and slightly crisped, the sage leaves darkened but not burnt. Cook the second side for one minute only. The veal is thin and cooks quickly. Overcooked veal is leather. Transfer to a warm serving plate and tent loosely with foil while you finish the remaining batches, adding more butter as needed.
- 5
Make the pan sauce
When all the veal is cooked, pour off any excess fat from the skillet, leaving the browned bits. Add the wine and let it boil vigorously, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to release the fond. The wine will reduce by half in about one minute. Remove from heat and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter. The sauce will emulsify into something glossy and rich.
- 6
Serve immediately
Spoon the pan sauce over the saltimbocca and serve at once. This dish waits for no one. Once the pasta is sauced, serve it promptly, inviting your guests and family to put off talking and start eating. The same applies here. The veal toughens as it cools. The sauce loses its sheen. Bring it to the table the moment it is ready.
Chef Tips
- •The prosciutto must be sliced thin enough to read a newspaper through. Thick prosciutto will not crisp properly and overwhelms the delicate veal. Have your butcher slice it fresh.
- •Do not secure the prosciutto and sage with toothpicks. If your pan is hot enough and you do not fidget with the meat, they will adhere naturally. Toothpicks are a confession of poor technique.
- •Veal is traditional and correct. If you must substitute, use pounded chicken breast or pork tenderloin medallions. Do not call it saltimbocca alla Romana. Call it something else.
- •Some recipes call for flouring the veal before cooking. This is unnecessary and creates a coating that separates the prosciutto from the meat. Skip it.
Advance Preparation
- •The veal can be pounded, wrapped with prosciutto and sage, and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before cooking. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before searing.
- •This dish cannot be made ahead and reheated. Cook it when your guests are seated and ready to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 195g)
Calories
365 calories
Total Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
210 mg
Sodium
1120 mg
Total Carbohydrates
1 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
43 g
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