Cutlets saltimbocca "jump in your mouth"

September 22nd

Today is officially the first day of Autumn.

And what did this first Fall day bring me here in Utah? Snow on the mountains, a 40 degree rainy morning that has now dissipated and sun shines beatifically on the riotously beautiful changing colors of leaves on the maples and aspens on the hillocks and mountains. Is there a season that I don’t like? Not really because each one has its own splendor.

So enough waxing poetic and rapturous about Fall and the day, and onto last night’s cutlets…

Easy cutlets—veal or beef. Dip thin-thin cuts, almost as if you could see the light through them, as my Dad used to say, into beaten egg and then seasoned breadcrumbs. I add grated cheese to the mix, either Romano or Parmigiano.

Before you fry them, if they are large, half them, and then cut a few edges and make a slit in the center so they won’t “buckle.” Fry these in corn oil with only a tablespoon or so of olive oil on a high flame. Remove immediately. Douse the bottom of a huge rectangle oven-proof dish (I used Corning for this) with some tomato sauce. I used a simple marinara—that is garlic and basil only…of course a little salt. Arrange the cutlets into this.

On top of the cutlets put a generous helping of mozzarella and shredded or grated Parmigiano. Cover this with prosciutto. If you don’t have that handy, then use sliced ham. ( and if you don’t have mozzarella or Parmigiano handy, use Emmental (Swiss) by itself or with another kind of yummy cheese. Irrigate the whole with more sauce and a smattering of chopped basil and parsley.

Bake in a hot oven: 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese oozes out of the beneath the ham and mounded and rounded cutlets.

Enjoy hot…or at room temperature. Makes a great "leftover" sandwich on Italian or ciabatta bread. Beats humdrum hotdogs!

You can also freeze these in the state before baking and in advance of a dinner party.

Signing off in the Wasatch Mountains...