Saltimbocca alla romana

Step 1: Season 1 ⅛ lb veal escalopes lightly with ¼ tsp black pepper; it needs no salt because the ham is salty. Lay a leaf of 8 fresh sage leaves on each slice, cover with a slice of 3 ½ oz prosciutto crudo and pin them in place with a cocktail stick. Wash your hands and board after handling the raw meat.

Step 2: Dust only the underside (the plain veal side) with 2 tbsp rice flour and shake off the excess.

Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and half of ⅔ oz butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until the butter foams. Add the escalopes ham-side down, in two batches if needed so they are not crowded: a full pan steams the meat instead of browning it.

Step 4: Cook for about 1 minute, until the ham is crisp, then turn and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the veal is just cooked through with no pink juices. Turkey must be white all the way through (165°F in the thickest part); pork to 145°F. Move to a warm plate.

Step 5: Pour ½ cup dry white wine into the pan, scraping up the browned bits, and boil over a high heat until reduced by half.

Step 6: Turn the heat to low and swirl in the rest of ⅔ oz butter until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened. Taste and add 1 pinch salt only if needed.

Step 7: Return the escalopes and any juices to the pan for 30 seconds to warm through, remove the cocktail sticks and serve with the sauce spooned over.