Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [55]
Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and carrot. Sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir in Plain Tomato Sauce, salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add cutlets and peas. Reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes.Taste and adjust for seasoning. Arrange cutlets and sauce on a warm platter. Serve hot.
Variation
Substitute 3 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and split for the veal cutlets.
EGGPLANTS AND CUTLETS PARMIGIANA
Parmigiana di Melanzane e Cotolette
The complete dish can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
3 cups Plain Tomato Sauce, page 208
2 medium eggplants
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 veal cutlets
Oil for frying
2 eggs
1½ cups dry unflavored bread crumbs
1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare Plain Tomato Sauce. Peel eggplants. Cut lengthwise into ⅜-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle sliced eggplants with salt and place in a large dish. Set another large dish on top of eggplants and let stand 30 minutes. Salt draws out the bitter juices from eggplants. Pat eggplants dry with paper towels.
Place cutlets between 2 pieces of waxed paper and pound until thin.When pounding meat do not use a straight up-and-down movement. Use a sliding action so meat is stretched more than flattened.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggplants. Cook until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread bread crumbs on aluminum foil. Dip cutlets in beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumbs. Press bread crumbs onto cutlets with the palms of your hands. Let coated cutlets stand 10 to 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Heat more oil in skillet over medium heat. Add cutlets. Cook until cutlets have a golden-brown crust, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Line bottom of buttered baking dish with half the eggplants. Arrange a layer of 4 veal cutlets over eggplants.Top with half the Plain Tomato Sauce. Sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese over tomato sauce. Make another layer ending with a layer of tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
VEAL CUTLETS BOLOGNA STYLE
Cotolette alla Bolognese
Fresh white truffles make this a dish fit for a king.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
⅓ cup Chicken Broth, page 23, or canned chicken broth
4 veal cutlets
2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup dry unflavored bread crumbs
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter
4 slices (about 2 ounces) prosciutto, page 4
10 to 12 very thin slices white Italian truffles, if desired
Prepare Chicken Broth. Place cutlets between 2 pieces of waxed paper and pound until thin. When pounding meat do not use a straight up-and-down movement. Use a sliding action so meat is stretched more than flattened.
Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Combine bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Spread on aluminum foil. Dip cutlets in beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Press mixture onto cutlets with the palms of your hands. Let coated cutlets stand 10 to 15 minutes.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When butter foams, add cutlets. Cook until cutlets have a light-golden crust, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Place 1 slice prosciutto and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese on each cutlet. If using, add a few slices of white truffles. Add chicken broth. Cover skillet and reduce heat. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Place meat on a warm platter. Taste and adjust sauce for seasoning, then spoon over meat. Serve immediately.
STUFFED VEAL BUNDLES WITH TOMATO-MARSALA WINE SAUCE
Valigini di Vitello all’Emiliana
Valigini, involtini, uccellini scappati are different names for the same basic Italian preparation. Thin slices of veal or pork are topped with savory ingredients and rolled up into small bundles. The bundles are then placed on skewers and grilled, or they are cooked