Translated, the name of this classic Roman specialty means “jumps off the plate into your mouth.” Tender veal, aromatic sage, delicate, salty prosciutto and a pan sauce of white wine, beef stock and butter make saltimbocca a mainstay on the menus of many Roman trattorias.

Like so much Italian cuisine, saltimbocca relies on just a few quality ingredients. The magic is in its simplicity, the time-tested combination of ingredients, and a careful but straightforward preparation. It’s quick to prepare, less than 30 minutes from start to finish, but special enough for a romantic meal.

Bring the magic of Rome to your partner by making Saltimbocca the star of a classic Roman meal: Start with antipasti, then a primi piatti of your favorite pasta. Serve Saltimbocca as the secondo piato with a vegetable side (contorno). Follow it with a salad (insalata) and a dessert (dolce).

If you can’t find veal cutlets, buy a pound of veal top round and cut them yourself. (P.S. You can buy most items from our online store!)

Ingredients:

4 pieces thinly-sliced prosciutto
8 veal cutlets (each should be around 2 oz.)
8 large fresh sage leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup beef stock
4 Tbsp butter, cubed

Instructions:

Lay the veal cutlets on a parchment paper sheet (or plastic wrap), fold the paper over, then pound the cutlet with a rolling pin or meat mallet. You want the cutlets to be thin, but not too thin—about ⅛-inches thick.

Top each flattened cutlet with a sage leaf. Cut the prosciutto slices in half. Lay a piece over each cutlet, sandwiching the sage.

Thread a wooden toothpick through veal, sage, and prosciutto to hold all three together. The easiest way to do this is to push the toothpick through the prosciutto, then just into the veal, and back up through the prosciutto. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When it is hot but not smoking, add the meat prosciutto side down in a single layer. After two minutes, flip and cook another minute. The prosciutto should be slightly crisp, and the veal browned throughout. Transfer to a warm platter.

With the skillet over medium-high heat, add the wine and scrape any browned bits up. Cook for one minute, then add the stock and reduce for 7–8 minutes (This should leave you with about a quarter of what you started with.) Whisk in the cubed butter, one piece at a time, stirring constantly.

Return the meat to the skillet just long enough to reheat it and coat it in the pan sauce. Gently remove the toothpicks and serve the saltimbocca prosciutto side up on a platter with the pan sauce spooned over the top.

Serves 4

To drink: A well-balanced Nebbiolo, or let us choose for you!