Bacriole & Cotolette: Astonishingly versatile cuts
Surfing the net the other night, I came across a recipe for Wienerschnitzel and realized how closely it resembles the Cotoletta alla Milanese: Both are breaded veal cutlets; the Viennese bone theirs and dredge them in both flour and bread crumbs, whereas the Milanese just use bread crumbs, and the Viennese fry in lard whereas the Milanese use butter. The similarity really shouldn't come as that much of a surprise, considering that Vienna and Milano are less than 200 miles apart and were both part of the Austrian Empire for hundreds of years; though we now tend to think of the various European cuisines as distinct entities we tend to loose site of the fact that the distances separating them are short, and people did travel.
Following is a selection of Italian recipes for cutlets, which are also known as braciole in some parts of Italy. Most call for veal, and can also be made using scallops or thinly sliced beef. Some instead call for pork. In all cases, you will need good, high quality meat from animals not fed growth hormones (whose use is, incidentally, prohibited in Europe), because hormone-laced meats give off great amounts of water when cooked briefly at high heat, reducing to postage stamp size and becoming tough as shoe soles.
Last thing: Most of the recipes for braciole I have found on the Net call for the meat to be rolled up, into what is known in Tuscany as an involtino. Whether braciole are rolled up or not depends upon regional custom, and the use to which they are destined.
Beef & Veal
Arrostini alla Salvia
Cutlets gently sauteed in a sage sauce.
Braciole alla Livornese
Braciole breaded and fried, and recooked in a zesty tomato sauce.
Braciole alla Palermitana
Involtini filled with pine nuts, raisins and cheese, and grilled.
Braciole del Vinaio
Cutlets served on crusty bread with cheese, smothered with mushrooms.
Bracioline alla Bartola
Cutlets stewed in a vegetable sauce.
Bracioline Ripiene
Very tasty and quite traditional Tuscan stuffed veal cutlets.
Bracioline Ripiene alla Siciliana
Zesty Sicilian stuffed veal cutlets -- quick, and perfect for the grill!
Bracioline alla Contadina
Cutlets seasoned with green olives, capers and anchovies , and gently stewed.
Carne alla Pizzaiola
Cutlets stewed in tomato sauce -- had the Neapolitans not invented it, someone else would have had to.
Costolette alla Contadina
Veal chops with beans, from Lombardia.
Costolette alla Valdostana
Zesty cutlets sauteed, then cooked with peppers.
Costolette di Vitello coi Peperoni
Cutlets filled with cheese, breaded and fried.
Costolette Guarnite
Ada Boni's recipe for veal cutlets in a zesty tomato and bell pepper sauce.
La Cotoletta alla Milanese
A breaded veal cutlet is simple, but can reach great heights.
Artusi's Cotoletta alla Milanese
"Anyone can make a veal cutlet," says Artusi, who proposes a tasty variation.
Artusi's Cotoletta alla Bolognese
A breaded veal cutlet, graced with cheese and truffles.
Cotoletta col Prosciutto
Again a breaded veal cutlet, this time with prosciutto.
La Cotoletta alla Bolognese 2:
What's known as Veal Parmigiana in the English-speaking world: Breaded, with cheese, tomato and prosciutto.
Cutlets with Egg and Lemon Sauce
Another tasty variation on an old favorite.
Don's Steak Pizzaiola
A zesty use for eye round roast!
Fesa di Vitello al Limone
Veal scaloppini in lemon sauce, and a variation with white wine too.
Fettine alla Melagrana
Cutlets, on a bed of shallots, delicately flavored with pomegranates.
Filettini all'Arancia
Cultets, quickly pan-cooked and served with an orange sauce.
Involtini coi Carciofi
A tasty winter recipe, cutlets wrapped around sauteed artichokes.
Involtini di Vitello
A zesty cheese-filled variation that will also work well with chicken or turkey.
Involtini di Asparagi
Veal involtini with asparagus tips. Quick & tasty.
Nodini di Vitello ai Peperoni
A tasty recipe for veal chops with a bell pepper sauce.
Piccata di Vitello al Prezzemolo
A Milanese dish made with veal cutlets (or scaloppini) & prosciutto in a zesty lemon-and-parsely sauce.
Polpettine con le Acciughe
These are actually cutlets, wrapped around anchovy filets -- involtini, in short. A Lombard specialty that's quite nice when it's hot.
Portafogli di Vitello Con Porcini
Veal cutlets stuffed with porcini -- fare fit for the Gods.
Saltimbocca alla Romana
The classic Roman way of making cutlets, with sage and prosciutto.
Veal Saltimbocca
Leonard Bibbo uses veal rib chops for his saltimbooca, and completes them with a tasty wine sauce.
Saltimbocca alla GianLeonardo
Caught short one day, Leonard developed another saltimbocca variation, with a red wine and tomato based sauce.
Veal Francese
The classic recipe developed by Italian restaurateurs in the US in the early 1950s.
Pork
Braciole di Maiale
Calabrian grilled prok chops with hot pepper and fennel.
Braciole di Maiale alla Bolognese
Pork chops stuffed with prosciutto and cheese, and pan-cooked or grilled.
Braciole di Maiale Ubriache
Pork chops slowly simmered to tenderness in wine.
Braciole al Vino
A Sicilian recipe for pork chops cooked in wine sauce with fennel and lemon.
Bracioline di Maiale
A Calabrian recipe for pork involtini stuffed with cheese.
Bistecchine di Maiale alla Griglia
Grilled pork chops are amazingly succulent. Also a recipe for spare ribs.
Pancetta alla Griglia
An unusual recipe for uncured pancetta, rubbed with spices & herbs, and grilled.
RECIPES OFF THE NET:
Braciole
Beef involtini filled with a bread, olive and anchovy stuffing, to go into pasta sauce as it simmers on the stove. From the folks at the Artisan.
Braciole
A delightful tribute to the late Elizabeth Giandomenico, with an explanation of how she made braciole (involtini) for her family, and several recipes to choose from. Quite nice. From la Lama Family Secrets.
Stuffed Veal Chops with Brandied Pan Sauce
Brandy and Gorgonzola work pleasing magic here. From La Lama Family Secrets.
Buon appetito!
Kyle Phillips
Send a card from the post office!
The General Recipe Index
