Cotolette di Vitello alla Bolognese
Beal Cutlets with Prosciutto, Parmigiano and Marsala
4 Servings
2 large eggs
Salt
1 1/2 cups fine dried bread crumbs
About 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Eight 1/4 inch thick slices veal scaloppine, lightly pounded
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
8 thin slices prosciutto

Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Mix the bread crumbs with 1/4 cup Parmigiano. Dip each veal slice into the beaten eggs, letting the excess drip into the bowl. Coat with the bread crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs onto the meat with the palms of your hands.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter foams, slip in the cutletss, without crowding, and cook, turning once, until they have a nice golden color on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the cutlets to paper towels and pat dry to remove any excess fat.

Discard the fat in the skillet. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. As soon as the butter begins to foam, add the Marsala, broth, and the cream. Stir, scraping the pan to loosen the delicious browned particles attached to the bottom, and let the sauce simmer briskly for a minute or two, until it is a medium-thick glace, then turn off the heat.

Generously butter a baking dish that can accommodate the cutlets in a single layer. Put a slice of prosciutto over each one, and sprinkle generously with the remaining Parmgiano.

Reheat the sauce briefly and spoon it around the cutlets. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Bake until the Parmigiano is melted and coats the top of the cutlets, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve at once, with a tablespoon of sauce spooned over each cutlet. If desired, thinly shave white truffle on top of the melted cheese just before serving.

This dish appears in serveral slightly different versions. Some omit the cream and Marsala in the sauce and use broth and a bit of milk. Others prepare it with a little tomatoe paste diluted in the broth. The amount of sauce in this dish is kep to a bar minimum, just enough to keep the meat moist