In Italian, saltimbocca means “to jump in the mouth,” implying that the dish is so good that it literally jumps into your mouth. I’ve eaten a few different versions of saltimbocca. One with chicken, one with capers (not my favorite) and the one that your fork insists on leaping into your mouth, one delicious bite after the other. But of all the different recipes, the common denominator in this Mediterranean dish is these three ingredients: veal, prosciutto and sage. They are usually served as flat scallops as in Saltimbocca alla Romana. I wanted a different look and decided to roll them up. The crispy prosciutto added on the top before serving (which didn’t make it in the photo) is the finishing touch.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound veal scallops (small thin slices of veal)
- 16 slices prosciutto (thin slices)
- 1/2 ounce fresh sage leaves
- Flour for dredging
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter (plus 4 tablespoons for sauce)
- 1/3 cup Marsala
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
Veal slices, Prosciutto and fresh sage
Season each side of the veal with salt (remember prosciutto is salty, so use a light hand) and pepper.
Lay a slice of prosciutto on each piece of meat, pressing against the veal to help it stick. Remove and discard the stems from the sage leaves, lay several over the prosciutto.
Roll lengthwise, secure with a toothpick or two.
Place flour on a plate and lightly coat each roll, shake off excess.
In a large skillet, heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter. Saute each veal roll on medium-high heat until brown on all sides. This will only take a minute or two. Don’t over crowd the pan, cook in batches if necessary.
Remove rolls from pan to a plate, set aside. To make the sauce: add the Marsala to the skillet scraping up all the yummy brown bits to deglaze the pan. (Deglazing is a technique used to release the flavor of the juices from the meat that has browned on the bottom of the pan). Cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock, reduce by half (3-4 minutes).
Stir in 4 tablespoons butter (this thickens as well as enhances the flavor). Remove the toothpicks from the veal and place in the sauce until warm.
Chop the remaining 8 slices of prosciutto and saute until crisp. To serve, sprinkle on top of each saltimbocca roll. Garnish with fresh sage.
