Saltimbocca alla Romana is a classic Roman dish of thin veal cutlets topped with prosciutto crudo and sage leaves, pan-seared in butter and finished with a white wine pan sauce—ready in under 20 minutes with minimal ingredients.
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To prepare saltimbocca alla romana, first lightly pound the veal slices until they are about 3/16-inch thick so they become more tender. Place on each a slice of prosciutto crudo 1 and a leaf of sage 2 , then skewer everything with a toothpick to hold them together 3 .
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet 4 , then add the oil as well 5 . In the meantime, flour the slices of meat only on the side without the prosciutto 6 and shake off any excess flour.
Place the slices in the pan one by one with the prosciutto side facing up 7 and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, without touching them. Once browned, turn them over 8 and continue cooking for one minute. At this point, deglaze with white wine 9 .
Allow the wine to evaporate and turn off the heat 10 . Plate the saltimbocca, spooning the cooking juices over them 11 , then finish with a grind of pepper 12 . Your saltimbocca alla romana are ready to be enjoyed!
Saltimbocca is best served fresh but can be refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat gently in a low skillet with a splash of water to prevent drying.
meat mallet · nonstick skillet (large) · toothpicks
Use veal round sliced thin (about 3/16-inch after pounding). This cut is tender enough to cook quickly without becoming tough.
Yes, you can assemble the saltimbocca (veal, prosciutto, sage, and toothpick) up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate. Flour and cook just before serving.
The prosciutto side stays unfloured so it stays tender and doesn't absorb too much oil. Flour only the bottom side for a light crust.
Fresh basil or marjoram can replace sage, though sage is traditional. Use the same quantity (1 leaf per cutlet).
Yes, thin chicken cutlets (pounded to about 1/8-inch) work well. Reduce the initial cooking time by 1 minute as chicken cooks faster than veal.
