The EASIEST Saltimbocca Recipe: Italian Classic (Ready in 10 Minutes!)

Quick Overview

Vincenzo's classic Saltimbocca alla Romana recipe is completed in under 10 minutes by quickly pan-frying thin veal cutlets topped with prosciutto and sage, then deglazing the pan with white wine to create a quick, creamy, and flavorful sauce.

Key Points: The recipe requires 4 thin veal fillets, 2 slices of Prosciutto San Daniele per fillet, fresh sage leaves, flour for dusting, butter (50g/1.7 oz), extra virgin olive oil, white wine (1 glass), and salt and pepper. The veal is pounded thin using a meat mallet with the flat side to ensure tenderness and even cooking (1:43). Each veal fillet is topped with two slices of prosciutto, a sage leaf, secured with a toothpick, and then lightly dredged in flour (2:30). The cooking process involves searing the floured veal in a mixture of olive oil and butter over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side, ensuring the prosciutto and sage release flavor (4:57). After searing, the veal is removed, and white wine is added to the pan drippings to deglaze and create the sauce, which thickens quickly due to the flour residue (5:54). The veal is returned to the pan to finish cooking in the creamy sauce for about 30 seconds, resulting in a tender dish with a rich, flavorful sauce (6:15). Vincenzo suggests adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end for extra refreshment, noting that Saltimbocca is one of the oldest Italian dishes (10:01).

Context: This video tutorial by Vincenzo's Plate demonstrates how to prepare Saltimbocca alla Romana, a traditional Italian dish featuring veal cutlets topped with prosciutto and sage, quickly pan-fried and served with a rich pan sauce. The recipe emphasizes speed, claiming the dish is ready in about 10 minutes, and highlights the importance of pounding the veal thin for optimal tenderness.

Detailed Analysis

Vincenzo prepares Saltimbocca alla Romana using 4 veal fillets, which he first pounds thin using the flat side of a meat mallet between two sheets of parchment paper to achieve tenderness (1:14, 1:42). The veal is then layered with Prosciutto San Daniele (two slices per fillet) and a fresh sage leaf, secured with a toothpick (2:30). The assembled cutlets are lightly dredged in flour to help thicken the final sauce (3:28). For cooking, he heats a large pan with 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 50g of butter over medium heat, adding the fresh sage leaves to infuse the fat with flavor (4:05, 4:28). The floured veal pieces are placed into the hot fat, searing the prosciutto and sage side first for about 2 minutes before flipping (4:48, 5:14). Once browned on both sides, the veal is removed, and the pan is deglazed with one glass of white wine, which evaporates quickly, creating the creamy sauce base (5:58). The veal is returned to the pan to finish cooking for about 30 seconds in the sauce (6:15). Vincenzo emphasizes that the alcohol cooks off and the sauce thickens naturally due to the flour, creating the signature creamy consistency (6:26). Finally, he suggests adding fresh lemon juice for brightness, plates the dish, and cuts into a piece to show how tender the veal is, concluding it is one of the oldest and most delicious Italian creations (7:21, 8:52).