SCALOPPINE in ITALIAN, SCALLOPINI in AMERICAN, both are words to describe a sliced and pounded piece of meat or poultry, quick sauteed in butter or olive oil and then finished in a sauce of various styles, ingredients. Endless possibilites in this style of dish which is infinitely popular in ItalianAmerican restaurants allowing resourceful chefs and cooks to turn kitchen ingredients into new or traditional plates. One dish that I learned when I worked with a caterer was his VALDOSTANA chicken or veal. More often clients ordered the chicken, myself I would order the veal first but love the chicken as well. The dish’s origins are in Northern Italy, the region known as the Val D’Aosta. An Alpine region of high mountains, snowy peaks, verdant meadows and all thing COW. Can you hear the cow bells now echoing thru the valleys and canyons? No? There, now you must hear it..aren’t you craving someting with FONTINA? Why Fontina, that creamy light yellow cheese with a wonderful tang and buttery finish? Because it’s synonymous with the Val D’Aosta. A cow’s milk cheese, Fontina has been produced in the region since the 12th Century. It must be good. And it is. Traditional VITELLO VALDOSTANA is simply a Veal Chop or cutlet filled with Fontina and Prosciutto and served as is or with a light white wine sauce. The caterer I worked with added diced fresh tomatoes to his dish, as I said, mostly was served as Chicken Valdostana but he also added Mozzarella to the mix. That’s pure ItalianAmerican and It was good but I felt his dish could be tweeked, and tweeked it was. I created my version of SCALOPPINE DI POLLO ALLA VALDOSTANA CON POMODORO. It’s amazing. Using diced shallots and prosciutto along with butter (remember this is a Northern Italian flavor profile), some Olive oil so the butter doesn’t burn while sauteeing everything and the earthy notes of Fresh Sage (SALVIA in ITALIAN) and sauce is created with White Wine and the chicken is finished in the pan sauce, topped with ParmigianoReggiano, Fontina and a ripe tomato slice. It’s going to make you very happy. Serve it over spinash leaves and let them wilt from the heat, mingle with the sauce.. oh…this is a winning dish for you. Enough babbling from me..time to cook!!!
SCALOPPINE DI POLLO ALLA VALDOSTANA CON POMODORO
FOR 4 TIME: 1 1/2 HOURS
8 TRIMMED CHICKEN CUTLETS POUNDED TO 1/4 INCH
1 CUP SIFTED AP FLOUR, OR TIPO 00
SALT AND PEPPER FOR SEASONING THE FLOUR
1/2 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER
1/8 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
2 SHALLOTS FINELY MINCED
1/4 LB PROSCIUTTO FINELY MINCED
10 FRESH SAGE LEAVES
1/4 CUP ITALIAN WHITE WINE
8 TOMATO SLICES
1/8 CUP FRESHLY GRATED PARMIGIANO REGGIANO
8 SLICES OF FONTINA CHEESE ABOUT 1/8 INCH THICK
FRESH SPINACH LEAVES
KOSHER SALT AND CRACKED BLACK PEPPER FOR SEASONING
First we’ll start the chicken. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. In a large wide and heavy pan heat 2 tbs of butter and 1/2 the Olive oil. Saute’ the chicken till golden on both sides. Takes about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not crowd the chicken, you may have to do this in two batches. Keep checking that the butter/oil isn’t burning, add more if necessary..adjust the heat if needed. Loosely cover the sauteed chicken on a platter with foil. Add the rest of the butter and olive oil and keep at medium heat. Add the shallots and the prosciutto and gently season ( not too much salt because the Prosciutto is plenty salty. Let this saute’ for 10 minutes stirring occasionally so there’s not burning or browning. Now add 3 tbs of the white wine, 2 minced sage leaves, and let this cook on simmer for 15 minutes. This is now your pan sauce base. It’s important that the shallots are fully softened. Now add the rest of the wine and bring to a boil. Lay in the chicken and (BIG TIP HERE) make sure you pour all the accumulated juices on that platter into the pan. That’s extra flavor there!!! Baste the chicken with the pan sauce and then…sprinkle the Parmigiano evenly over the cutlets. The top each piece with the tomato, season with a little salt and pepper, then top with the fontina. Let the chicken simmer in the pan covered just until the cheese is melted. Takes about 8 minutes. Let the chicken sit in the pan for 5 minutes…then serve. Top each slice with a fresh sage leaf and extra sauce from the pan, serving them on a bed of fresh spinach. Oven Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes. Enjoy!!! and HAPPY COOKING!! Have a little (OR BIG) piece of TiraMiSu’ with espresso for dessert. After all, you’re dining in Northern Italy with this meal!!
A FOOD OBSESSION 