Veal Pockets In The Style Of Valle Daosta Food

VEAL POCKETS IN THE STYLE OF VALLE D'AOSTA

Steps:

• Lay the cutlets flat on a clean, dry work surface. In a small bowl, mix the cheese and prosciutto. Evenly divide this mixture among the 4 cutlets, placing the mixture in the center of each cutlet. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in half being careful that none of the cheese and prosciutto stuffing escapes. Secure sides with toothpicks. Dredge rolls in flour.
• Heat a 12-inch saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the 3 tablespoons of butter and cook until the butter foams. Add the veal rolls to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Use tongs to carefully turn the rolls. Remove rolls and keep warm. Add the sage leaves to the pan and pour in the wine. Continue cooking over high heat until the wine evaporates. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of Emmental cheese on top.

VEAL CHOPS WITH FONTINA

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack to accommodate the covered saucepan, and heat the oven to 400°.
• Trim the chops, leaving only a thin layer of fat. With a sharp, thin knife, slice horizontally into the outer edge of each chop, splitting the meaty portion in two almost all the way to the bone, forming a pocket for stuffing. With the mallet, pound and spread the meaty part, flattening it to 1/2-inch thickness. Lift the top flap of the meat you just sliced apart, hold it up, and pound the bottom flap of meat a few more times, spreading it thinner and wider than the upper flap. When all the chops are sliced and pounded, salt them on both sides, using a teaspoon in all.
• Toss together the shredded fontina and the grana (grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano), and divide the cheeses into six equal portions. One at a time, lightly compress the cheese portions into oval patties, and slip them into the sliced chop pockets. Fold the larger bottom meat flap over the top flap-enclosing the cheese-and thread a toothpick through both flaps to keep them together. (The chops can be prepared up to this point a day in advance, sealed in plastic wrap, and refrigerated.)
• Put 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil in the big pan, and set over medium-high heat. Spread the flour on a plate, dredge each chop on both sides, shake off excess flour, and lay it in the pan. When all the chops are in the pan, drop the sage leaves in between them. Cook the chops for 5 minutes or more, turning them once or twice, until well browned on both sides.
• Clear a space in the pan bottom, drop in the tomato paste, and toast it in the hot spot for a minute. Pour the wine over the tomato paste, stir them together, and shake the pan to distribute the liquid. Bring it to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes or so, to reduce.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and whisk it into the pan liquid. Turn the chops over, pour in the chicken stock, sprinkle on the remaining salt, and bring to a boil.
• Cover the pan, and place in the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes, then remove the cover and roast another 10 minutes or so, until the chops are done and the sauce has thickened.
• Remove from the oven, and place the chops on a warm platter. (Drape a towel over the handle of the pan when it comes out of the oven to remind you it is very hot.) If the sauce is thin, put the pan over high heat and reduce until the sauce has the consistency you like.
• Serve right away-while the cheese is still oozing-arranging all the chops on a warm platter and spooning the sauce over, family-style, or on warm dinner plates with mashed potatoes alongside and sauce drizzled over. (If you do have fresh white truffle, shave it on the top of each chop at this moment.)

FONDUE VALLE D'AOSTA-STYLE

Steps:

• Heap the shredded fontina in a glass or glazed ceramic bowl, and pour the milk over it. Stir to make sure the cheese is submerged, seal the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• To make toasts for dipping: Heat the oven to 350°. Slice the bread chunk or loaf lengthwise into big oval slabs about an inch thick. Cut these into small blocks, 3 to 4 inches long and 2 or 3 inches wide (the size of a BlackBerry or iPod!), that will afford a few good bites when dipped in the fondue. Lay the bread blocks flat on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, turning now and then, until golden brown and crisp all the way through.
• To make the fonduta: Stir the milk and cheese shreds (now softened and crumbling) and scrape them into the saucepan. Heat slowly over a low flame, stirring often, as the cheese melts and blends with the milk, until smooth and steaming hot. Whisk in the butter, and keep the fonduta over low heat-but don't let it boil.
• Beat the egg yolks and pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl with the whisk. Ladle out 1/4 cup of the hot fondue and drizzle it very gradually into the egg yolks while whisking steadily (this tempers the yolks so they cook without coagulating), until thoroughly blended, then whisk in another 1/2 cup hot fondue, until smooth. Now slowly drip the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan of fonduta, whisking rapidly, until fully incorporated.
• Still over low heat, cook the fonduta slowly, without boiling, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until smooth and thickened, easily coating the back of a spoon (or a bread toast).
• For serving, warm the small serving bowls (or the large one if serving communally), and pour in fonduta in equal portions. Give everyone a spoon and a fork to dunk in those last pieces of bread, and wipe up the fonduta from the bottom of the bowl.