Bolognese Cutlet

The Bolognese Cutlet is a delicious second course typical of the Emilia-Romagna region. It’s a variant of the more famous Milanese Cutlet, enriched with Parma ham and Parmesan cheese. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 4 slices of veal (top round or rump) about 200 g each, pounded to a thickness of about 5 mm
• 4 slices of Parma ham
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Flour as needed
• 2 eggs
• Breadcrumbs as needed
• Butter as needed for cooking
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

1. Take the veal slices, season them lightly with salt and flavour with a little pepper.
2. Then coat the slices in flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then dip the meat slices into the egg, making sure to cover both sides.
4. Coat them in breadcrumbs, pressing a bit to ensure a good adherence of the breading.
5. Melt a knob of butter in a pan and when it’s hot, lay in the cutlets and let them brown for about 3-4 minutes per side, until they are well golden-brown.
6. Transfer the cutlets to a baking dish, lay a slice of Parma ham on each cutlet and sprinkle with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden-brown.

Did you know?

Although the name “alla Bolognese” might lead one to think of the ragù, this cutlet has nothing to do with it. The uniqueness of this recipe lies in the fact that the Parmesan and Parma ham are added at the end, blending with the meat for a rich and satisfying final result.

It’s a dish that skillfully combines the culinary tradition of Emilia, famous for its ham and Parmigiano, with the method of cooking the cutlet, widespread in many Italian regions but made famous by the Milanese.