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Bolognese-Style Pork Cutlets
Classic cotoletta alla bolognese are pan-fried breaded veal cutlets topped with salty, savory prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. After frying, the crisp cutlets usually are placed in a simple pan sauce and cooked just long enough to melt the cheese. For our version, instead of veal we use pork tenderloin, which is similarly mild in flavor, and we layer the prosciutto slices onto the cutlets, under the breading, to better integrate them into the dish. For an extra-crisp crust, we use Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs, but we lightly crush them before use so the breading isn’t overly light and airy. Our method for melting the cheese keeps the bottoms of the cutlets crisp, and the lemon-spiked sauce, served on the side, brightens up all the rich, salty flavors.
4
Servings
Don’t pound the pork without using plastic wrap. The plastic wrap prevents the meat pounder from sticking to the meat, thereby helping to avoid tears. This is especially important when the meat is pounded very thin, as it is here. After pounding the cutlets, season them only with pepper, not with salt, as the prosciutto and Parmesan provide lots of salinity. Finally, when adding the water to the pan of fried cutlets, make sure to pour it around them, not on them.
50 minutes
Plus chilling
Ingredients
-
2½
cups panko breadcrumbs
-
Ground black pepper
Directions
-
01Place the panko in a large a zip-close bag and seal. Run a rolling pin over the panko until finely crushed. Empty into a pie plate or wide shallow bowl, then stir in ½ teaspoon pepper. In a second similar dish, stir the flour and 1 teaspoon pepper. In a third dish, beat the eggs with a fork.
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GET DIGITAL & PRINTI loved the recipe and will use it again. However, I found it the techniques used while interesting, increased the complexity of the execution. It seem a lot of effort was made to use only one skillet over and over. Not necessary unless you only have one burner. The size of the cutlets requires at least two turns in a 12 inch skillet; no avoiding that but the cheese can be melted under a broiler and the sauce can be made in a small saucier. I expect the breading can also be done some time ahead so that the final cooking and plating can be done quickly.
We love this recipe and have now made it several times. Tonight I had some leftover pesto alla Genovese from the night before and decided it might be a nice addition. I used a generous teaspoon or maybe more to paint the pounded tenderloin before I applied the prosciutto. The rest of the process was the same as outlined in the recipe. The pesto added yet another layer of flavor to a great dish. It was also fun to combine two Milk Street recipes into one.
Would it be possible to use veal that has already been pounded instead of the port tenderloin?