Veal Picatta

Veal Picatta – Piccata di Vitello al Prezzemolo
A Milanese dish made with veal cutlets (or scaloppini) and prosciutto in a zesty lemon-and-parsely sauce.

1 pound thinly sliced veal

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1/3 cup unsalted butter

2 fairly thick (1/8 inch) slices prosciutto

2 tablespoons flour

The juice of a half a lemon

1/2 cup broth (or bullion)

Salt & pepper

A slice of lemon and a sprig of parsley

Slice the prosciutto slices widthwise to obtain match-stick sized pieces. Mince the parsley.

Wet a broad-bladed knife with cold water and gently pound the slices to thin them, taking care not to punch through them. Put the flour, a healthy pinch of salt and a grind of pepper in a paper bag. Pat the cutlets dry, put them into the bag (one at a time) and shake the bag to flour them.

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a skillet and sauté the prosciutto slivers for about five minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the veal, turning the slices as soon as their undersides are done (you want to cook them rapidly, before they give off a great flood of water). As soon as the slices are done, remove them to a serving dish and keep them warm. Return the pan to the fire, add the broth, and stir up the drippings that have stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the juices cook down a little, then remove the pan from the fire and stir in the remaining butter, the lemon juice, and the minced parsley. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve, with the lemon and parsley as garnish.

This recipe is based on that in De Agostini’s La Mia Cucina. As a variation, The Joy Of Cooking suggests 2 tablespoons rinsed capers instead of prosciutto, olive oil, and chicken breast.