Saltimbocca alla Romana
Saltimbocca alla Romana is a quick, elegant dish of tender veal, salty prosciutto, and aromatic sage finished in a glossy white-wine butter sauce. The result is savoury, fragrant, and rich without being heavy, with beautifully browned edges and a bright pan sauce.
Ingredients
Veal, prosciutto and sage
- 4 x 60 g pieces, 240 g totalveal escalopes, pounded to 3 mm thick
- 4 thin slices, about 60 gprosciutto crudo
- 8 leaves, about 4 gfresh sage leaves
- 1 gfine sea salt
- 1 gfreshly ground black pepper
White wine pan sauce
- 30 g, dividedunsalted butter
- 10 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 80 mldry white wine
- 40 mlchicken or veal stock
Instructions
- 1
Lay the veal escalopes flat and pat them very dry. Season lightly on both sides with the fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; go easy on salt because the prosciutto is already salty.
- 2
Place 1 slice of prosciutto crudo on each veal escalope and top each with 2 fresh sage leaves. Secure each piece with a toothpick, weaving it through the prosciutto and veal without bunching the meat.
- 3
Heat a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 15 g of the unsalted butter and the extra-virgin olive oil; when the butter foams but has not browned, the pan is ready.
- 4
Add the saltimbocca prosciutto-side down and cook for 60–90 seconds, pressing gently so the ham makes contact with the pan. Turn and cook the veal side for another 60–90 seconds, just until the meat is barely firm and lightly golden; thin veal overcooks quickly.
- 5
Transfer the cooked saltimbocca to a warm plate and rest for 2 minutes while you make the sauce. Remove the toothpicks if they are easy to pull out, or leave them visible and remove before serving.
- 6
Return the pan to medium-high heat and pour in the dry white wine, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken or veal stock and boil for 2–3 minutes, until reduced by about half and slightly syrupy.
- 7
Lower the heat and swirl in the remaining 15 g unsalted butter to emulsify the sauce. The sauce should look glossy and lightly coat the back of a spoon; avoid boiling hard after adding the butter or it may split.
- 8
Spoon the white-wine butter sauce over the rested saltimbocca and serve immediately, ideally with sautéed spinach, bitter greens, or a crisp low-carb salad.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For the best texture, use very thin veal escalopes; if they are thicker than 3 mm, place them between baking paper and pound gently from the centre outward.
- •Do not flour the veal if keeping the dish low-carb; the sauce will still reduce and emulsify beautifully with butter.
- •Choose a dry white wine such as Frascati, Pinot Grigio, or Verdicchio—avoid sweet wines.
Background
Saltimbocca alla Romana is closely associated with Rome and Lazio, though versions are found across Italy. Its name means “jumps in the mouth,” a reference to the lively combination of delicate veal, cured ham, sage, and wine.
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