Saltimbocca

Saltimbocca translates as "jump in the mouth" and it is indeed so delicious that your mouth sings! It is a wonderful Italian veal dish of thin girello steaks that are traditionally pan-fried in butter and served with gnocchi romano (semolina gnocchi).

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 6 veal girello steaks (see Note)
• 6 sage leaves
• 3 prosciutto slices, cut in half
• 50 g (¼ cup) plain flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20 g butter
• salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp stock (brodo)
• splash of dry white wine (vino bianco)

Instructions

Beat the veal steaks with the flat side of a meat mallet to an even thickness. Place a sage leaf on each followed by a piece of prosciutto. Fold the steaks in half to enclose the sage and prosciutto and tap again with the mallet to keep them closed. Lightly dust the steaks with flour.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy-based frying pan and add the veal steaks. Sauté quickly on one side until light golden – the heat should just kiss the meat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and parsley before turning over and adding the stock and wine. Cook for another few minutes.

Transfer to serving plates and spoon over the foaming sauce.

Note

• Girello is a cut of veal from the back leg. You can buy this as a whole piece, trim off the sinew and cut into 1cm thick slices. The trimmings with vegetables can be used to make a stock (brodo) which you can use in this recipe instead of a store-bought one. You may have to order ahead from your butcher.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.