Saltimbocca (Veal with Sage and Prosciutto)

Ingredients

1 lb Veal Scallopini, pounded thin 450g

¼ pound prosciutto ham, thinly sliced 115g

20 fresh sage leaves 

¼ teaspoon salt 1ml

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil 22ml 

3 tablespoons butter, softened  45ml

½ cup white wine or Marsala  125ml

1 cup Chicken or Beef Stock 250ml

⅛ teaspoon pepper 

½ tablespoon all-purpose flour 2.5ml

Directions

Cut the veal into 3 x 4-inch pieces (7-10cm).

Place a slice of prosciutto on top of each piece of veal and top with a leaf of fresh sage.

Skewer with a toothpick to hold the three together and sprinkle the bottom sides with ⅛ teaspoon of the salt.

Pour the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter into a large saute pan and cook over high heat until almost smoking.

Add the veal slices and saute 30 seconds on each side, shaking the pan to prevent sticking.

Transfer the veal to another dish and pour the oil out of the pan.

Place the pan back on the heat and deglaze with the wine, cooking until reduced to a thick glaze, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and the remaining salt and the pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, return the meat to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.

While the meat is heating, mix the remaining soft butter with the flour to make a thick paste. Remove the meat from the pan and place on a serving dish.

Bring the stock to a boil and add the butter/flour paste, one spoonful at a time, whisking well until the sauce is thick. Pour it over the meat and serve.

Cook's Tip If you'd like more sauce, increase the wine by 2 tablespoons (30ml,) the stock by ¼ cup (60ml), and the flour/butter mix by 1 teaspoon (5ml) of flour.

 Cucina Amore
by Nick Stellino
The launch of Nick Stellino's "Cucina Amore" on public television stations marked the debut of a new kind of television chef and a new style of cooking show. The authentic trattoria setting and casual, relaxed atmosphere allow viewers to feel as if they are actually dining with their host while being entertained with stories about his beloved grandmother, Nonna Maria, his perfectionist father, Don Vincenzo, his mother, Massimilliana, and his brother and partner-in-mischief, Mario--all the while learning how to re-create the authentic Italian dishes he was taught to make at home. 

This companion cookbook, Cucina Amore, brings you all the warmth, love, and culinary delights that have made Nick Stellino so successful. Here you will find one hundred simple and delicious recipes--ranging from Caponata to Wild Mushroom Salad, Ossobuco to Country Style Roasted Potatoes, and Sicilian Cheesecake to Tiramisu--along with all of Nick's wonderful family memories, and the secrets he has learned both at home and as a professional chef to make the cooking both simple and foolproof.