CUTULETTA - Mamma Stag's Sicilian Schnitzel

I have fond memories of my mother cooking these thin crumbed Sicilian meat delights and me stealing one or two really hot ones straight out of the fry pan – when I smell these cooking I just can’t wait – even if it means burning the roof of my mouth and getting a hit across my head from mum!

Cutuletta was a playground favourite when I was growing up. My friends would always want a bite from my cutuletta roll. And it remains a favourite of theirs still today. One of my friends even enlisted my mother to make a big plate of them for his engagement party a few years ago.

You can make cutuletta with veal, chicken or pork – there is even an eggplant version that my mother whips up.

YOU’LL NEED…

·        Meat – about 500grams. Choose from top side veal, chicken breast or pork that is suitable for schnitzel –  your butcher can help you here, ask for it to be “sliced thinly for schnitzel”

·        Parsley (flat leaf) - about a small handful (or 1/3 cup) - coarselychopped

·        Pecorino Cheese. About 4 tablespoons freshly grated (available at Italian delis). Please don’t use pre-grated supermarket crap.

·        Fine Italian breadcrumbs. About 300 – 350g. Best if homemade from old Italian bread or bought from an Italian bakery/deli.

·        Eggs – 2 of them

·        Garlic – 3 peeled cloves

·        Oil for shallow frying – canola, vegetable or sunflower oil will do

·        Black pepper to taste – maybe about a twist of the pepper mill per slice of meat – be careful if you are using peppered pecorino not to over do the pepper.

·        Salt to taste – maybe about a small pinch or so per slice of meat – best to use fine sea salt.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO...

1) Make 3 – 4 slits (about 2 cm long) in each slice of meat with a sharp pointed knife. This can be done quickly by placing slices in one heap and stabbing the pile 3 or 4 times. Not exactly sure why my mum does this – my guess it helps the cooking process.

2)  Beat egg, pecorino, salt, parsley and pepper together in a large bowl. Add meat slices and toss so all slices are well covered by mixture. Let stand in the fridge covered for at least one hour (and no more than 24 hours)

3) Place bread crumbs in a large shallow dish.

4) In a medium or large shallow frying pan heat enough oil for shallow frying (about 1cm deep). Add one garlic clove – when the garlic starts to sizzle the oil is hot enough for frying.

5) One by one remove each slice of meat from egg mixture – shake of exess egg and dip each side of the slice into breadcrumbs and gently shake off any excess breadcrumbs.

 6) Fry on both sides until golden brown on medium/high heat - use tongs to turn the cotoletta. When garlic looks as though it is very dark brown (ie, about to burn) discard from fry pan and replace with a fresh clove. Also discard any loose crumbs from oil as you cook with a spatula.

 6) As you remove cutuletta from pan place on a plate with absorbent paper.

 

Note: If you are making more than 500g worth of meat then you will need to replace oil every 500g of meat you cook.

I love serving them with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Good with salad, baked or blanched vegies. Or try some mushrooms fried with garlic. Goes a treat with a blood orange and fennel salad - as pictured below.

Eggplant alternative….

Instead of meat slices use large eggplant slices (5mm thick). Salt eggplant slices in an abundance of sea salt and let sit for at least 4 hours in a colander. (This removes bitterness)  Then rinse off salt under a running tap, squeeze out water and repeat – then dry with paper towel. Follow steps 2 – 6 above using eggplant slices as your “meat”. Just exclude salt in step 2 as eggplant will be salty enough.

Enjoy. And don’t forget to lick your plate.