When it comes to meat, one of my guilty pleasures is a nice, juicy, medium-rare steak ai ferri, which means grilled or griddled without adding any fat. Quick and simple to prepare, it takes no time to cook and, together with a mixed salad and some bread, it is a feast for a king!
When buying meat that requires little cooking time, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting the best, organic, ethically sourced meat you can afford. Good-quality meat is an excellent source of protein, but you don’t have to eat it every day. I find I am going back to my childhood days when we really only had meat on Sundays and feast days, but it was always good-quality and more often than not we knew the farmer. So not only did we know where our meat came from, but it was always full of flavour and needed little seasoning.
In Italy, a small piece of meat is usually served as a main course after the obligatory primo of pasta, risotto or soup. Popular everyday meat dishes, such as scaloppine of veal or pork, are quickly pan-fried in butter and served with a squeeze of lemon. In fact, it is not uncommon to have lemon wedges served alongside most fried or grilled meats in Italy.
Cotoletta impanatta is another popular quick meal, comprising thin slices of either veal, pork, chicken or turkey, coated in breadcrumbs and shallow-fried. It is often enjoyed by children, but adults love it too! La bistecca (steak) is an all-time favourite and cooking slices of meat alle brace (on the barbecue) is popular during summer or when you have a crowd.
Named for its irresistible taste – saltimbocca literally translates as ‘jump in the mouth’ – this classic Roman speciality has become a popular meat dish all over the world. Originally made with veal, it can also be made with pork or chicken. Don’t season the chicken, as you get saltiness from the prosciutto and tasty deliciousness from the sage and oozing Fontina. Serve with boiled potatoes and steamed greens for a delicious lunch or dinner.
Cooking time: 15 minutes (if chicken is already sliced)
Serves 4
350 g/12 oz chicken breast, thinly sliced to obtain 8 slices (you can ask your butcher to do this for you)
8 large sage leaves
50 g/1¾ oz Fontina, cut into 8 thin slices
8 slices of prosciutto (Parma ham), about 125 g/4½ oz
50 g/1¾ oz/3 tbsp butter
50 ml/1½ fl oz/3 tbsp white wine
Place the chicken slices on a board (the slices should be no more than 5-mm/¼-in thick – if necessary, flatten with a meat mallet). Place a sage leaf in the middle of each one, followed by a slice of Fontina and top with a slice of prosciutto, making sure the prosciutto covers the cheese. If your chicken slices are small, fold the prosciutto so that you have a double layer. Secure the ingredients in place with cocktail sticks (toothpicks) to ensure nothing falls off.
Melt 30 g/1 oz/2 tbsp of the butter in a large frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat. Add the saltimbocca, chicken-side down, and cook for 2 minutes, or until sealed. Turn them over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn them over again, increase the heat to high, add the white wine and cook for 1 minute. Remove the chicken and place on a serving dish. Add the remaining butter to the frying pan and cook for about 30 seconds, until creamy. Pour the buttery sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.
Lamb and anchovy is a match made in heaven, especially in this quick and simple dish using cutlets. You can use cutlets that are on or off the bone, so the weight may vary. This dish makes a great mid-week supper, but is also perfect for a more formal meal when you have guests. It is delicious served with couscous or with some good bread to mop up the juices.
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 4
8 lamb cutlets (about 800 g/1 lb 12 oz in total)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
80 ml/2½ fl oz/5 tbsp white wine
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
needles of 2 rosemary sprigs
leaves of 2 thyme sprigs
7 anchovy fillets
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Place the lamb in a dish, drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, pour over the wine and scatter over the garlic and herbs. Set aside for 15 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
In a large frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat, heat the remaining olive oil, add the anchovy fillets, and gently cook until the anchovy fillets dissolve. Increase the heat, add the lamb cutlets, and cook to seal well on both sides. Add the lamb marinade, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 5 minutes, turning the lamb cutlets over from time to time.
Remove the lamb and place on a serving dish. Stir the vinegar into the sauce in the pan over a medium heat, pour over the lamb and serve.
Meat coated in breadcrumbs is always a popular meal in my house, especially among the children. To give the pork steaks a bit of a kick, my sister Adriana came up with the idea of filling them with some of my home-preserved vegetables. To prevent the filling from escaping, the meat has been double-dipped in egg and double-coated in breadcrumbs – this also gives it a crispier texture, which makes it all the more tasty. This is delicious served with the Oregano-Infused Mixed Tomato Salad (see here) and lemon wedges, if desired, and can also be enjoyed cold in-between some bread for a yummy sandwich.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (including prep)
Serves 4
4 pork steaks (about 500 g/1 lb 2 oz in total)
180 g/6¼ oz preserved artichokes, drained weight, very finely chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil, very finely chopped
8 black olives, very finely chopped
4 eggs
10 g/¼ oz/5 tbsp grated Parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
320 g/11¼ oz breadcrumbs
60 g/2¼ oz/4 tbsp butter
8 tbsp sunflower oil
lemon wedges, to serve (optional)
Slice the pork steaks horizontally in half, so you have 8 thin slices, lay them out flat on a board and flatten each one out with a meat mallet, to make them as thin as you can. Alternatively, you could ask your butcher to do this, to save time.
Top 4 of the slices of pork with the chopped artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and olives, then sandwich together with the other slices of pork, pressing down well.
Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl and combine with the grated Parmesan, seasoning with some salt and pepper. Place the breadcrumbs on a shallow plate. Carefully dip the filled pork steaks first in the eggy mixture, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Repeat this one more time, so that all the steaks have a double coating.
Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan (skillet) set over a medium–high heat and fry the filled pork steaks for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove and place on paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Serve with lemon wedges and a tomato salad.
I love calves’ liver! It is so good for you, without the fat that most other cuts of meat contain. It is also extremely quick to cook and makes a tasty nutritious meal. This is my version of the classic Fegato alla Veneziana, where onions are steam-fried over a gentle heat until transparent and softened. The addition of sultanas (golden raisins) here adds a pleasant sweetness. If you can’t find calves’ liver, substitute with pigs’ or lambs’ liver. This is delicious served with polenta, or mashed potatoes, if you prefer.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (not including prep)
Serves 4
20 g/¾ oz/1 tbsp sultanas (golden raisins)
100 ml/3½ fl oz/7 tbsp white wine
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 large onions, finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
450 g/1 lb calves’ liver, cut into finger slices
a handful of parsley, finely chopped
For the polenta:
800 ml/28 fl oz/3½ cups water
200 g/7 oz/1⅓ cups quick-cook polenta (fine cornmeal)
a knob (pat) of butter
sea salt, to taste
Soak the sultanas in the wine and set aside.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan (skillet) set over a low–medium heat. Add the onions and sweat for about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water, season with some salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened but not browned. Remove the onions and set aside.
Increase the heat under the pan to medium–high, add the pieces of liver, season with some salt and pepper and cook to seal well. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low–medium, and cook for about 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the polenta. Heat the water in a saucepan and cook the polenta, (checking the instructions on your packet), adding a knob of butter and a little salt at the end.
Increase the heat under the frying pan with the liver, add the soaked sultanas and white wine and cook off for a minute. Add the parsley and onions, heat through for a minute or so, then serve with the polenta.
These quick, rolled pork involtini, packed full of herbs and garlic, remind me of the delicious flavours of a porchetta. Try to get the thinnest pork steaks you can, or ask your butcher to thinly cut and flatten them with a meat mallet, to save you time at home. They are delicious served with some boiled potatoes and a green salad.
Cooking time: 30 minutes (including prep)
Serves 2–4
4 thinly-cut pork escalopes or loin steaks (about 140 g/5 oz each)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful of sage leaves, very finely chopped
needles of 1 rosemary sprig, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
zest of ½ lemon
10 g/¼ oz/5 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
60 ml/2 fl oz/4 tbsp white wine
Lay the pork escalopes/steaks out on a board, remove any excess fat and flatten as thinly as you can with a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper, and scatter the meat with the chopped herbs and garlic, followed by the lemon zest and grated Parmesan. Carefully roll up the pork slices to make 4 involtini and secure with cocktail sticks (toothpicks).
In a large frying pan (skillet) set over a high heat, heat the olive oil, add the pork involtini, and cook to seal well on all sides. Add the white wine, cover with a lid, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve the involtini with the pan juices.
Veal scaloppine are very popular in Italy for a quick and easy meal, traditionally pan-fried with butter, sage and lemon. As an alternative, I have used fresh thyme and delicious Sicilian blood oranges, which gives the meat a lovely, tangy kick! Unfortunately, blood-red oranges are only available during the months of January and February, so, if making out of season, just substitute with regular oranges. The addition of leeks here means you don’t have to prepare a side vegetable. Serve with lots of good crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
5 small blood oranges (zest of 2 oranges, juice of 1 orange; break the remaining 4 oranges into segments)
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 veal escalopes (about 100 g/3½ oz each)
120 g/4¼ oz/8 tbsp butter
2 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
4 fresh thyme sprigs
100 ml/3½ fl oz/7 tbsp white wine
In a bowl, combine the orange zest with the flour, season with some salt and pepper, and set aside.
Lay the veal escalopes out flat on a board, flatten out further with a meat mallet, if necessary, and coat with the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Set aside.
Melt 60 g/2¼ oz/4 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat. Add the leeks and sweat for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, melt the remaining butter over a medium heat, add the thyme and leave to infuse for 1 minute. Increase the heat, add the veal and cook to seal well on both sides. Keep moving the meat around the pan to avoid burning. Pour in the wine and allow to evaporate by about half. Return the leeks to the pan, add the orange juice and half of the orange segments, and cook for 1 minute or so until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Remove the meat, place on a serving dish and pour over the sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining fresh orange segments.
Bresaola is a lovely cured beef that comes from the Valtellina area of northern Italy. Delicate in taste and extremely healthy, it is usually served as an antipasto with rocket (arugula), Parmesan, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Here, to enrich the cured beef, a delicious mixture of goat’s cheese is added. This can be served as a quick antipasto or as a light main course.
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4
120 g/4¼ oz soft goat’s cheese
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
a handful of chives, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 small slices of bresaola (about 50 g/1¾ oz in total)
juice of 1 lemon
8 whole chives, soaked
rocket (arugula) leaves, to serve
In a bowl, combine the cheese, olive oil and chives, seasoning with some salt and pepper, until creamy.
Place the slices of bresaola on a board or work surface and squeeze a little lemon juice over them. Place a small dollop of the creamy cheese mixture on each slice and wrap like a little parcel. Tie a soaked chive around each parcel to hold everything in place. Serve with rocket leaves, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and another drizzle of lemon juice.
Mini chicken fillets, widely available in supermarkets, are very versatile and quick to cook. They can be added to stir-fries, made into quick stews or dipped in egg and coated with breadcrumbs for the best home-made chicken nuggets. This is a quick, lighter version of a classic Chicken Cacciatora. Serve with some good country-style bread or boiled baby potatoes. For extra speed, look out for ready-chopped fresh vegetables.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (including prep)
Serves 4
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
½ fresh red chilli, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 rosemary sprigs
500 g/1 lb 2 oz mini chicken fillets
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
80 ml/2½ fl oz/5 tbsp white wine
200 g/7 oz baby plum tomatoes
a handful of basil leaves
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat. Add the onion, chilli, celery, carrot and rosemary, and sweat for 2–3 minutes. Add the chicken fillets, season with some salt and pepper, and stir-fry until sealed on all sides. Add the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the tomatoes and basil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the chicken has cooked through.
This dish reminds me of home, where we would often have meatballs. However, meatballs take a little time to make, patiently rolling each one individually. When my mother was in a hurry, she would make a meatloaf with minced (ground) meat instead. This is my sister Adriana’s version, filled with delicious mortadella, mozzarella and hard-boiled eggs. Simple to prepare, it makes a nutritious meal, served with boiled baby potatoes and a green salad.
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 4
3 eggs
250 g/9 oz good-quality minced beef steak
60 g/2¼ oz stale bread, soaked in a little milk
10 g/¼ oz/5 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
needles of 1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices of mortadella (about 25 g/1 oz in total)
70 g/2½ oz hard mozzarella, thinly sliced
egg wash, made with 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk
breadcrumbs, for coating
ready-made loaf tin (pan) liner
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C/475°F/gas mark 9, or your highest setting.
Boil 2 of the eggs until hard-boiled (about 7–8 minutes). When cooked, drain, remove the shells and slice lengthways in half.
In the meantime, combine the minced beef, bread, Parmesan, parsley, rosemary and 1 egg, seasoning with some salt and pepper. Place a piece of clingfilm (plastic wrap) on the work surface and spread the minced beef mixture on top, spreading it out into a flat rectangular shape. Lay over the mortadella slices, then the mozzarella slices, and top with the hard-boiled eggs. With the help of the clingfilm, roll up into a sausage shape, then carefully remove the clingfilm and discard it.
Brush egg wash all over the meatloaf and coat with the breadcrumbs. Place in a ready-made loaf tin (pan) liner (this helps the meatloaf to keep its shape) and place onto a baking (oven) tray. Roast in the hot oven for 25 minutes, reducing the oven temperature to 200°C fan/220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 after 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve with boiled baby potatoes and a green salad.
When I was a child, this dish was often made as a quick supper during the late summer months, when tomatoes were ripe, ready and at their best. Nowadays, people cook this classic southern-Italian dish with canned tomatoes all year round. If you cook some pasta separately to serve, it makes a really quick two-course meal for all the family to enjoy.
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes
Serves 4
4 quick-cook, thin beef steaks
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp capers
60 g/2¼ oz stoned (pitted) green olives
1 × 400-g/14-oz can of chopped tomatoes
a handful of basil leaves, plus a few extra to garnish (optional)
2 thyme sprigs
1 tsp dried oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
400 g/14 oz pasta of your choice
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat. Add the steaks and cook to seal well on both sides, then remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add the garlic and sweat for about 30 seconds, stir in the capers and olives and continue to sweat for another 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, thyme and oregano, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Return the steaks to the pan, cover with a lid and continue to cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes.
While the meat is cooking in the tomato sauce, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook some pasta. Serve the cooked pasta stirred though the tomato and olive sauce, with the meat as a main course. Garnish with a few extra chopped basil leaves, if wished.
