By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich,
Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes
Everyone loves scallopine, and I'm sure it's one of your favorite choices in your neighborhood Italian restaurant. The wonderful thing about scallopine is that the recipes are often so versatile. Any of the recipes that you find here can be prepared with veal, chicken, turkey or pork. One thing you do need is a meat mallet with both smooth and toothed sides. For more scallopine recipes, visit www.lidiasitaly.com this month!
To serve four, I suggest starting with any of the following; remember it's your choice!
* twelve 2-ounce veal slices
* four 6-ounce boneless and skinless chicken breast halves
* eight 3-ounce slices of boneless center cut pork loin
* eight 3-ounce turkey cutlets.
All of them should be pounded from ¼-inch thick to about ¹/8-inch thick by placing two at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound the scallopine with the toothed side of the mallet, then with the smooth side.
Flouring the scallopine helps to caramelize the outside of the scallopine before the inside becomes overcooked and tough. It also helps to thicken the sauce lightly and give it a velvety texture. Flour the scallopine just before browning them; otherwise, you might get a soggy coating.
Scallopine with Peppers, Mushrooms and Tomatoes
Serves 4
* ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
* 8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
* 1 medium red and 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced ½-inch thick
* 2 cups trimmed and thinly sliced assorted mushrooms
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 4 servings scallopine
* All purpose flour
* One 24-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
* ½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
* 6 fresh basil leaves, torn into quarters
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy, wide skillet over medium heat. Toss three garlic cloves into the pan. Cook, stirring until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in peppers and mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the peppers are softened, about 8 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil and butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add three garlic cloves to the pan. Cook, until golden, about 2 minutes. While the garlic is browning, dredge the scallopine in flour to coat both sides lightly, tap off the excess and add as many to the pan as fit in a single layer. Cook until golden brown on the underside, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining scallopine and remove from pan.
Pour off the fat from the pan and pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss remaining garlic into the pan. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and red pepper and season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce is simmering. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mushrooms and peppers into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until the peppers are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the basil, tuck the scallopine into the sauce. Simmer until the scallopine are heated through and the sauce is lightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and additional red pepper. Divide the scallopine, topping each serving with some of the sauce.
Pan Fried Parmigiano Reggiano Coated Scallopine
Serves 4
* 4 portions scallopine
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 large eggs
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 ½ cups fine, dry breadcrumbs
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
* All purpose flour
* ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
* Lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Season the scallopine with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano and parsley together on a plate. Spread the flour out on a separate plate. Dredge the scallopine in flour and tap off excess. Dip the floured scallopine into the egg mixture, turning well to coat both sides evenly. Let excess egg drip back into the bowl, then coat the scallopine in breadcrumbs, pressing with your hands so breadcrumbs adhere.
Heat olive oil and butter in a wide, heavy skillet. Lay as many breaded scallopine into the pan as will fit without touching. Fry until the underside is golden, about 4 minutes. Flip the scallopine and fry until the second side is golden, about 3 minutes. As the scallopine fry, adjust the heat so they brown gently and slowly and the bits of coating that fall into the oil don't burn. Transfer the scallopine to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Remove as many browned bits from the pan as you can, and fry the remaining scallopine. Serve the scallopine immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.
© 2010 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes
Author Bio
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, coauthor of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipe, is the author of five previous books, four of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, and can be reached at her Web site: www.LidiasItaly.com
Yum. You're making me hungry :)
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