Pork Saltimbocca

One of my all time favorite Italian dishes is veal saltimbocca. Veal saltimbocca is a traditional Italian dish that features thinly sliced veal cutlets, usually from the leg or loin, that are topped with prosciutto and fresh sage leaves before being cooked. The name “saltimbocca” comes from the Italian words “salta in bocca,” which means “jump in the mouth,” suggesting that the dish is so delicious that it practically jumps into your mouth (which is very accurate for this dish).

One day I was at my third grocery store looking for veal for this recipe when I finally gave up, none of the stores had it, so I decided to make it with pork tenderloin. Pork has some very similar features to veal, so I figured it may work. I was shocked that I actually liked this dish MORE with pork. It was more flavorful and moist, and much more affordable!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• salt and pepper
• 24 sage leaves
• 8-12 slices of thinly sliced proscuitto
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour, I love Bob’s 1-1 GF flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3-4 tbsp cold butter, cubed

Preparation:

STEP 1.

Slice the pork into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Pound the pork cutlets with a meat mallet until they are ¼ inch thick and very thin. Season with salt and pepper. Add a sage leaf and then top with prosciutto. Using your hands, press the prosciutto into the pork so it holds / sticks.

STEP 2.

Flour the cutlets. Dredge the cutlets in flour so it is lightly dusted on both sides and set aside.

STEP 3.

Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron pan to medium high heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, sear the cutlets, prosciutto side down, working in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Cook on the first side for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and do the same for the other side. Remove from the pan and do this to the remainder of the pieces.

STEP 4.

Once all of the meat has been cooked, decrease the temperature to medium and deglaze with white wine. Bring the wine up to a simmer and add the sage leaves. Reduce by half, or until it reaches a nappe and is very thick. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cold butter to emulsify. Once it is thick and creamy, taste and adjust for seasoning, then serve over the pork.