Italian · Authentic-ish Italian
Saltimbocca alla Romana
302 kcal a serving, against 529 for the traditional version. That is 227 kcal off, or 43%, with 39.6g of protein. Serves 4. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Thinly pounded veal escalopes layered with fresh sage leaves and prosciutto. The meat is lightly dusted in seasoned plain flour, then fried fast in a terrifying amount of butter. The pan is deglazed with dry white wine, creating a thick, glossy sauce that coats the meat.
What changed, and what each change costs
600g of veal escalopes for 600g of skinless chicken breast
Veal is traditional but fatty. Chicken breast is the leanest meat you can buy. Bashing the chicken flat destroys the tough fibres, mimicking the tender texture of veal escalopes for a fraction of the fat. The dish uses veal, but I'm scoring the traditional version against veal mince as it's the nearest database entry.
What it costs you. What you've got is poultry. Veal is a different dish and you know where to find it. The meat lacks that slight gamey depth. If you eat this completely unseasoned, you'll absolutely know the difference. Thankfully, you're wrapping it in cured pork.
80g of butter down to 20g, replacing the lost liquid with chicken stock
Frying in pure butter tastes incredible, but it drives the fat through the roof. Dropping 60g of butter saves a massive amount of fat. The chicken stock provides the volume needed for the pan sauce, while 20g of butter is just enough to mount the sauce at the end so it still tastes like dairy.
What it costs you. The pan sauce loses its thick, syrupy consistency. It becomes more of a savoury broth. You don't get that sticky glaze that clings to the meat, but you still get the sharp wine and butter flavour.
30g of plain flour down to 15g
You only need flour on the bottom of the meat, not the top where the ham sits. A light dusting on the underside is enough to stop it sticking and help thicken the sauce later.
What it costs you. Very little. The top of the meat doesn't need a crust anyway, because the prosciutto provides the texture.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 529 | 302 |
| Protein | 33.6g | 39.6g |
| Fat | 37.4g | 9.8g |
| Saturated fat | 18.3g | 4g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.4g | 6.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.4g | 13.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Italian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk, sulphites, celery.
The method is in the book
This dish relies heavily on the salty, aromatic combination of cured pork and fresh sage. Because those flavours are so loud, swapping the base meat is a highly effective trick. You lose the traditional Roman authenticity, but you gain a dense, high-protein dinner that takes 20 minutes to cook. The sauce is thinner, but it still packs a massive punch.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Italian, along with 59 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.