Scaloppine are a popular secondo in Italy because they are delicious and quick to prepare. Thin slices of meat are pounded even thinner and then served with all kinds of sauces, like balsamic, Marsala, with eggplant, mozzarella and tomato, or the most famous version with prosciutto and sage: Saltimbocca. They are supposed to be veal, but chicken, pork, or turkey can be substituted. Nadia of Maison Travers posted scaloppine with mushrooms and Marsala, which is another great way to serve scaloppine. (If you want to visit the Dordogne, do stay at her wonderful guest house or take a cooking class.) Here is my take on this dish.

Ingredients

For 2 servings

2 scaloppine (veal, chicken, turkey, or pork), about 110 grams (4 oz) each

250 grams (.55 lb) button mushrooms, thickly sliced

120 ml (1/2 cup) Marsala

1 shallot or 1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

flour for dusting

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter, divided

Instructions

Pat the scaloppine dry with paper towels and season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.

Dust them lightly with flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the scaloppine.

Cook the scaloppine about a minute per side, until they are golden. Do not overcook them, as they will become dry and tough if you do.

It is best to use heat that is high enough to brown the scaloppine quickly, but not so high as to burn the butter.

Set the scaloppine aside. The carry-over heat will cook them to the center.

Add a minced shallot or clove of garlic to the fat that remains in the frying pan. (Note that I copied Nadia’s use of a shallot here, which is a bit of a French influence on this Italian dish. Italians would be more inclined to use garlic.)

Stir for a minute, then add 250 grams of thickly sliced mushrooms.

Stir over medium heat until the mushrooms start to release their liquid.

Deglaze with 120 ml of Marsala.

Simmer, stirring, until the Marsala has been reduced by half.

Add a tablespoon of thyme leaves and a tablespoon of cold butter, cut into small pieces, and stir until the butter has melted.

Now return the scaloppine to the pan.

Baste them with the sauce and cook over low heat for a minute or so until they have heated through.

Serve the scaloppine with the mushrooms on preheated plates. I served mashed potatoes and green beans on the side.

Wine pairing

This is great with an oaked full-bodied white (such as Verdicchio or Chardonnay), or a light earthy red, like a Pinot Noir or Grignolino del Monferrato.

Flashback

Kroepoek (Indonesian shrimp crackers, the Indonesian spelling is kerupuk or krupuk) is even more tasty when it is homemade.