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Italy, Europe · Saltimbocca alla Romana

Saltimbocca Chicken Panino with Lemon-Sage Mayo

A café-style pressed sandwich: chicken seared with prosciutto and sage, melting mozzarella, rocket and lemon-sage mayo in toasted ciabatta.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time28 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsAlways cook chicken right through.

Method

  1. Finely grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice. Chop some of the sage very finely and mix it with the mayonnaise, the zest and 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to make the lemon-sage mayo. Keep the rest of the juice for the chicken.

    Add in this stepMayonnaise 2 tbspLemon (zest and juice) ½Fresh sage leaves 1¾

  2. Slice the thick part of the chicken open sideways like a book, then pound it between cling film to an even 6 mm. Cut it into 1 or 2 pieces per person to fit the bread. Season with just a little salt and some pepper, lay the remaining sage leaves on top, cover with prosciutto and press firmly, then dust both sides thinly with flour and tap off the excess.

    Add in this stepChicken breast 260 gSalt 1 pinchBlack pepper to tasteFresh sage leaves 4¼Prosciutto, thin slices 4Plain flour 1½ tbsp

  3. Heat the olive oil in a 26 cm pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken prosciutto side down for , turn and cook for more. It is done when the thickest part is white with no pink and the juices run clear (74 °C in the centre); chicken must always be cooked through. Lift it out and sprinkle with the rest of the lemon juice.

    Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp

    medium heat

  4. Split the ciabatta and spread both cut sides with the lemon-sage mayo. On the bottom half, layer the chicken, then the mozzarella, then the rocket, and close with the top. Putting the cheese right on the hot chicken helps it melt.

    Add in this stepCiabatta rolls (1 per person) 2Mozzarella (sliced, or fresh) 80 gRocket (arugula) 20 g

  5. Wipe the pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, add the sandwiches and press them down with a heavy pot for . Turn, press again and cook for the same time, until the bread is golden and the cheese is oozing (1 batch). If the heat is too high the bread burns before the inside warms, so go low and slow.

    Add in this stepButter 10 g

    medium-low heat

  6. Rest the sandwiches on a board for 1 minute, cut them in half on the diagonal and serve hot.

Cook's tip

Focaccia or baguette work instead of ciabatta. With a panini grill, do step 5 in it and both sides toast at once. You can cook the chicken the day before and use it cold, but add 1 minute per side to the pressing so the centre heats through.

Cooking it at camp

For camping, cook and cool the chicken at home; it is the safest and simplest way. At the site, spread the mayo, fill the bread and press in a cast-iron pan or a sandwich toaster. On a charcoal grill, set the sandwiches on the grate and weigh them down with a heavy pan.