Veal piccata, or veal scallopini, is an exquisite pairing of delicate veal cutlet in a buttery citrus sauce. It’s a symphony of complex flavours tied together by the most tender of meats. But surprisingly quick and simple to conduct! Treat yourself and your family to something a bit different with this time-honoured Italian classic.
What’s the Difference Between Scallopini and Piccata? Scallopini is the name for a thin slice of meat, usually chicken or veal. When dredged in flour and pan-fried, it is called scaloppine. One type of scallopini dish is piccata, which includes a pan sauce of lemon, capers, white wine or sherry, and butter.
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What is veal piccata?
Veal, a meat much-loved by Italians, is considered a delicacy. The calves, from which veal comes from, are raised on a purely milk-based diet, which is what makes the meat so soft on the tooth.
Being favoured for its tender texture and milder-than-beef flavour, veal balances beautifully in a rich lemony butter sauce.
Sliced to specific slimness, the veal cutlet is gently coated in seasoned flour and lightly fried, putting this naturally sweet, melt-in-the-mouth meat at the heart of the dish.
It is then bathed in a luscious pool of sauce unctuous with butter, spikey with tart lemon juice, and tingling with the brininess of plump green capers.
And the whole decadent dish can be put together in under 25 minutes!
What cut is it anyway?
The cut for veal scallopini, or scaloppine in Italian, is usually taken from the rump of the calf. Unlike its grown-up counterpart, the calf’s rump is not a tough time-worn muscle but soft and pliable, making it a truly unique meat.
For veal piccata, the meat is then ‘scalloped’, sliced keenly in half to slimmer dimensions, and given a light pounding to flatten further.
But don’t panic! You needn’t perform this scalloping surgery yourself! Either ask your experienced butcher to do it or buy them ready scalloped.
You might have already come across this method without even realising; as this dish is Italian, I’m referring to it as veal scallopini, but French recipes would call for a veal escalope, and in English, it’s known as a veal cutlet. Sound familiar now?
Chicken or Veal Piccata – Everyday Food with Sarah Carey
FAQ
What is the difference between Veal Piccata and veal scallopini?
What is meant by veal scallopini?
What’s the difference between Veal Piccata and veal marsala?
What is the meaning of Veal Piccata?
What is veal scallopini?
Veal Scallopini is a favorite dish in Italian cuisine that features thinly sliced veal that is dredged in flour, and then sautéed in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Once the veal is cooked, it’s typically removed from the pan, and a sauce is made using ingredients like white wine, fresh lemon juice, capers, and sometimes chicken broth or cream.
What is veal scallopini with piccata sauce?
This classic veal scallopini with piccata sauce comes together quickly and is easy to master. Tried and true recipe! The Italian word scaloppine, when applied to red meat, means a thin slice cut across the grain of the fillet of a round of veal, mutton or beef.
What is the difference between veal Francaise and piccata?
They are both made with a lemon butter sauce, but the big difference is that veal Francaise dips the cutlet into flour and an egg wash before frying, and veal piccata only dips the cutlet into flour. Another slight difference is piccata adds capers to its sauce, and Francaise does not.
What is piccata veal scaloppini?
The classic piccata veal scaloppini dish we are making here is known in Italy as scallopine di vitello de limone or scaloppine al vino bianco or simply piccata di vitello de limone. NOTE: Technically, in terms of the actual cut, scallopini are identical to the veal cutlets used to make schnitzel.