Veal Saltimbocca with Mozzarella

Veal Saltimbocca with Mozzarella

This great recipe always takes me back to our holiday in Italy almost 10 years ago. The warm weather, the idyllic scenery, and the wonderful flavors that you could smell everywhere. Scents of tomato, basil, and thyme.

And every night I ate another new dish from the menu of a small Italian Trattoria. Quiet, relaxed.

On one of those evenings, I ate my first Saltimbocca, a nice piece of veal with prosciutto and sage, finished with white wine. So good. At home, I made it often. And I adapted the recipe in the past few years, to a more delicate dish and I added some roasted vegetables.

I make this recipe quite often on a special occasions. At dinner parties,  Christmas, or Valentine's Day. The advantage is that you can prepare it all in advance and then you only need to bake it briefly in the oven. And you can keep all your attention on your guests. Enjoy!

What do you need for Saltimbocca with Parma Ham and Sage?

For the preparation of this Veal Saltimbocca with Mozzarella, you need the following ingredients (you can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog):

• Veal Escalopes: Deliciously tender meat, thinly sliced. Also known as Veal schnitzel (boneless veal steak) or veal cutlets. Veal escalopes come from the boneless shoulder steak or topside, and it is a nice, even piece of meat, with a fine structure and soft taste. If you get a rather thick steak, flatten it with a meat hammer between two plastic foil sheets, until you get steaks of ½ inch thickness.
• Parma ham: A real saltimbocca contains Parma ham or Prosciutto, and that should of course not be missing here. Because of the salt in the ham, you get a nice balance between the meat and roasted vegetables.
• Zucchini, Tomato, and Eggplant: The vegetables are roasted first and then used in the open veal Saltimbocca. Roasting gives them a wonderful taste.
• Butter and olive oil: You use a mixture of both to fry the meat in the skillet. This gives it that creamy butter taste, without burning.
• Sage: A traditional ingredient in a Saltimbocca. It is a spicy and warm herb, with a little bitterness. So use it in moderation, because it can quickly become overwhelming.
• Mozzarella: This Italian cheese is a delicious cheese, which melts very well, and is a great combination with this Italian veal. By baking in the oven, the cheese melts and blends with the roasted vegetables.

How to prepare Saltimbocca (Veal Escalopes) in the Oven

A recipe with extensive steps, the right amount of ingredients, and which you can also easily print can be found at the bottom of the blog.

1. Season the veal escalopes with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in the skillet and fry the veal over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes on both sides (until the meat is golden brown). Remove from the pan and cut in half.
2. Cut the vegetables into thin slices. Heat a grill pan until hot. Brush the vegetables with olive oil and grill until grill marks appear on the vegetables. Put aside.
3. Place a piece of veal schnitzel in front of you and top with eggplant, zucchini, tomato, mozzarella, sage, and Parma ham.
4. Place the second piece of schnitzel on top and pile the zucchini, tomato, and mozzarella on the meat. Insert a skewer through the layers and place it in an oven dish. Preheat the oven to 390 °F (200°C) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.