pork scaloppine sandwich

pork scaloppine sandwichBefore I chat about this insanely delicious pork scaloppine sandwich, I want to give a high five to the farm-to-table experience in Nova Scotia that’s been brewing here for years.  Farm-to-table movement isn’t new nor is it unique to this corner of the world.  But what I will say is this; it’s the reason I started this blog.  We were still living overseas and were deciding where in Canada we’d like to move to.  Our first visit to Nova Scotia was the summer of 2005.  We explored, ate, drank and went away feeling like we had stumbled onto something good.  We decided to take another closer look at Halifax the following year just to make sure our vacation euphoria didn’t cloud reality.  The food scene, local hospitality and a general sense of fitting in welcomed us and we were smitten.  The second time back felt just as good as the first and we were pleased with the way locals embraced all things from the land and sea.  This sense of local support revved up the foodie in me and when we left Nova Scotia, it spurred me on to start some sort of food writing.  I cannot believe I have been writing about food in a very public way for nine years!

I know it’s not a magical number but nine years is a long time.  It’s allowed me to explore, get knee-deep in learning the way food, herbs, and spices play an important role in our diet, trying to impart that newfound knowledge to my readers, to improve my photography, and to engage more with social media which is something I’m still discovering.  Ok, happy birthday TCC now back to the local food scene.  It feels as though new restaurants are opening up left, right and center but what’s really cool is that some are being run by those under 30.  This younger group of restaurateurs are not only feeding us with scrumptious morsels from the land and sea but also introducing us to mixologists creating unique cocktails and locally crafted beers.

So how does this influence me?  Each time Mr. S and I visit a new restaurant I am awestruck how the food is cleverly presented and their unique pairings.  This excites me and I go home wanting to replicate it.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t but I don’t give up.  The same sort of enthusiasm is shown when I look at a recipe from a cookbook.  This dish is inspired by a recipe I saw in Sean Armstrong’s Kitchen.  Scaloppine (an Italian dish of thinly sliced meat) is usually served with a sauce but I like the idea of using the meat as a sandwich.  This particular sandwich has some of my favorite toppings and every bite is worth savouring just a bit longer.

Serves 2 to 4
4 pieces of thinly sliced meat (chicken breast, turkey, veal, pork, beef)
fresh mozzarella, sliced
basil leaves,
4 slices of prosciutto

coating for the meat –
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten with a teaspoon of water
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
flour, for dredging

Preheat oven to 350f (180c).

If you can’t find the meat thinly sliced (scaloppine style), don’t fret.  Buy the meat, slice it and then use a meat tenderizer and pound out to 1/4-inch thick.  In a bowl mix panko crumbs with oregano and season with sea salt and pepper.  Take 1/2 a cup of flour and add to a dinner plate.  You should have your dredging stations all set.  First, dredge the meat in the flour to lightly coat then dust off any excess flour.  Dip the floured meat into the bowl of beaten eggs and let drip.  Next dredge the egg-soaked meat into the panko crumb mixture.  Repeat process until all meat is coated.

dredging station for pork sandwichIn a frying pan, over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Place two pieces of the meat and fry 1 to 2 minutes or until golden.  Flip and cook until golden.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Repeat process for remaining meat.

To assemble, place one slice of scaloppine on a baking tray and add a slice of prosciutto, basil leaves to cover the prosciutto and sliced mozzarella cheese to cover.  Place another scaloppine on top.  Repeat process for remaining scaloppine.  Add a dollop of butter on top of each scaloppine and cook in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, slice and serve with bell pepper salad.

pork scaloppine sandwichThe Culinary Chase’s Note:  The traditional meat used for scaloppine is veal but you can use other meats.  I chose 4 thin cut pork chops (I cut out the bone), place the meat between waxed paper and pound until 1/4-inch thick (roughly).  The pepper salad consisted of sliced bell peppers sautéed in olive oil with garlic and chopped green olives.  So tasty and delicious you’ll want to serve this more than once.  Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews
pork scaloppine sandwich
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 2 to 4
Ingredients
  • 4 pieces of thinly sliced meat (chicken breast, turkey, veal, pork, beef)
  • fresh mozzarella, sliced
  • basil leaves,
  • 4 slices of prosciutto
  • coating for the meat –
  • 1½ cups panko bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten with a teaspoon of water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • flour, for dredging
Instructions
  1. If you can’t find the meat thinly sliced (scaloppine style), don’t fret. Buy the meat, slice it and then use a meat tenderizer and pound out to ¼-inch thick.
  2. In a bowl mix panko crumbs with oregano and season with sea salt and pepper. Take ½ a cup of flour and add to a dinner plate. You should have your dredging stations all set. First, dredge the meat in the flour to lightly coat then dust off any excess flour. Dip the floured meat into the bowl of beaten eggs and let drip. Next dredge the egg-soaked meat into the panko crumb mixture. Repeat process until all meat is coated.
  3. In a frying pan, over medium-high heat, add ¼ cup of olive oil. Place two pieces of the meat and fry 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Flip and cook until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Repeat process for remaining meat.
  4. To assemble, place one slice of scaloppine on a baking tray and add a slice of prosciutto, basil leaves to cover the prosciutto and sliced mozzarella cheese to cover. Place another scaloppine on top. Repeat process for remaining scaloppine. Add a dollop of butter on top of each scaloppine and cook in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, slice and serve with bell pepper salad.
Notes
The Culinary Chase’s Note: The traditional meat used for scaloppine is veal but you can use other meats. I chose 4 thin cut pork chops (I cut out the bone), place the meat between waxed paper and pound until ¼-inch thick (roughly). The pepper salad consisted of sliced bell peppers sautéed in olive oil with garlic and chopped green olives. So tasty and delicious you’ll want to serve this more than once. Enjoy!

 

2 Comments

  1. The Sparrow on September 30, 2015 at 14:47

    Pure genius. Using meat as the sandwich. This looks absolutely fantastic. And nothing beats the salty bite from prosciutto paired with the creamy taste of mozzarella. Thank you for this recipe.