Saltimbocca alla Romana

Place each veal escalope between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat face of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan, pound with firm, even strokes from the center outward — not vertical blows that tear the meat, but angled slides that stretch the fibers. Target 5–6 mm thickness, roughly even across the whole escalope. Season lightly with white pepper only — the prosciutto will provide all the salt needed.

Lay 2–3 sage leaves flat on the top (smooth) side of each escalope. Drape one or two slices of prosciutto over to cover the sage and the entire escalope surface — the ham must extend slightly beyond the meat edges. Secure with one or two wooden toothpicks pierced at an angle through ham, sage, and meat. Season the underside (veal side) very lightly with salt only. Dust the veal side in flour and pat off all excess — you want a gossamer coating, not a thick crust.

Heat a large stainless or carbon steel pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and let it foam and subside — when the first wisps of color appear in the butter, it is ready. Place escalopes prosciutto-side down. Press them flat with a spatula for the first 10 seconds to ensure full contact. Cook prosciutto-side for 2–3 minutes until the ham crackles and has rendered its fat into the butter. Flip and cook the veal side for just 60–90 seconds — veal is lean and overcooks in moments.

Remove the escalopes to a warm plate. Over high heat, pour the wine into the still-hot pan and immediately scrape up the browned bits from the base — these are the flavor. Let the wine reduce by half, about 90 seconds of vigorous bubbling. Remove from heat, add a cold knob of butter, and swirl constantly until the sauce becomes glossy and emulsified. Pour over the escalopes immediately. The dish is best eaten within 3 minutes of plating.