You pin a sage leaf and a slice of prosciutto to a veal escalope, brown it in butter, finish with a splash of white wine. The name means it jumps in the mouth, and it will, if you get it to the table at once. The plate is small, the cooking shorter than the argument.
A Roman classic of the trattoria, quick enough for lunch, rich enough for dinner. The ham seasons the veal; the sage crisps in the fat; the wine becomes a few spoonfuls of sauce. No tomato. No cream.
Dust lightly with flour. Ham-side down first, a minute each side. Deglaze, coat, serve at once. Delay dries it out.
Method
- 01
Lay a sage leaf on each veal escalope, then drape a slice of prosciutto over it, and pin them together with a toothpick so nothing slides. Dust the veal side lightly with flour — a whisper, not a coat. The ham will season the meat as it cooks, so you need very little salt. Have everything by the stove; this dish is over in minutes.
- 02
Melt the butter in a wide skillet until it foams, then lay in the escalopes ham-side down. A minute is enough — you want the ham to crisp a little and the sage to perfume the fat. Flip and give the veal side another minute, until it is just gold. Set them aside on a warm plate; they will wait a moment while you make the sauce.
- 03
Pour the white wine into the hot pan and scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce until you have just a few spoonfuls of glossy sauce. It should smell of butter and wine, not of raw alcohol. Don't walk away; this takes a minute, and a minute more will leave you with nothing.
- 04
Return the veal to the pan and turn each piece so it is coated in that little sauce. Get it to the table at once — saltimbocca means it jumps in the mouth, and a dish that waits is a dish that dries. Pull the toothpicks at the table if you like. It is a small plate, and it punishes delay.
