Saltimbocca alla romana
Saltimbocca alla romana
Thin-pounded veal is layered with sage and prosciutto, pinned with a toothpick, and sauteed in butter. The name means "jumps in the mouth" (salta in bocca). The salt of the prosciutto and the aroma of the sage make up for the veal's blandness, and the key is not to overcook the prosciutto side.
A regional dish of Rome. Food historians also cite a possible Lombard origin (Brescia), and it is said to have spread from Rome to the rest of Italy in the second half of the 19th century.
Rome — The earliest record is said to be entry 222 in Pellegrino Artusi's La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene (1891), noting a dish he ate at a restaurant in Rome.
Main ingredients
- Veal (thin-sliced)
- Prosciutto crudo
- Sage
- Butter
- White wine
- Flour
- Salt and pepper
How it goes
These are the bones of the method. Quantities and detail live in the sources.
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Pound the meat
Moisten the veal, then pound it thin and even. Season lightly with salt, since the prosciutto already brings saltiness.
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Layer the sage and prosciutto
Lay about half a sage leaf on the meat (a whole leaf is said to be too much), place prosciutto on top, and pin with a toothpick.
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Dust with flour and saute
Dust lightly with flour and saute briskly on both sides in melted butter. Don't overcook the prosciutto side, or it will toughen.
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Make the sauce with white wine
Once browned, pour in white wine, let it cook off, and combine it with the pan's browned bits to make a glossy sauce.
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Finish
Remove the toothpicks, plate, spoon the pan sauce over, and serve hot.
Pasta it follows
Why it works
Pasta alla griciaThe same Roman menu. A humble primo of just guanciale and pecorino leads straight into a secondo of prosciutto and butter, tied together by place. 
Cacio e pepeA staple Roman primo. Since it's just cheese and black pepper with no meat, its flavor doesn't overlap with the prosciutto secondo's pork character, and the weight can still rise in the second half while staying rooted in the same place. 
Spaghetti alle vongolePlacing a light primo built on nothing but clam broth first, then bringing out a secondo given richness by butter and prosciutto, follows the pattern of weight rising through the second half of the meal. 
Pasta al LimoneFrom a light primo that opens with lemon's acidity into a meat secondo finished with butter, it keeps the primo-to-secondo order of rising weight intact.