Uccellini Scappati • Little Birds That Escaped (Rolled Veal Scaloppini with Prosciutto)

The daughter of an avid Canadian sportsman, I am familiar with numerous stories of "the one that got away." It turns out that is not just a Canadian phenomenon. In Italy, it appears, a remarkable number of little birds get away, and hunters return home empty handed. Veal scallops, pounded thin, stuffed with prosciutto and sage and cooked like a small bird is the dinner that awaits those unlucky numbers.

The dish is found in many parts of northern Italy, with slight variations. The Romans make something similar, with the equally amusing name of saltimbocca (jump in your mouth). The name makes sense once you taste these succulent morsels—they really do jump into your mouth, they are so good.

Veal is common in Italy. The selection of veal in butcher shops is often much larger than beef. Much of the country is rugged and mountainous, not well suited for raising beef cattle, but in the past farmers often had a bit of land on which they could keep one or two milking cows whose offspring could be used for veal.

We've come to know veal in North America fairly recently, and all too often the stories of how it is raised are discouraging. But veal has a history in Italy that is both humane and sensible. Fortunately, it is not so hard to find organically raised, hormone-free veal. In some areas, grass-fed (free-range) veal is also available.

This is an elegant, easy dish that lends itself nicely to entertaining. It is also simple enough to put together on a busy weeknight when time is short and the gourmands are famished.

Serves 4

• 4 veal scallops (approx. 450 g) (1 lb), flattened into scaloppine*
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 1 or 2 sage leaves per veal slice
• Flour for dredging
• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup Marsala or other sweet wine
• 3/4 cup chicken or beef broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs to garnish

*Have your butcher flatten the veal slices for you into scaloppine about 1/4 inch thick. Or, if you wish to do this yourself, place a veal scallop between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it using a meat pounder.

Lay a slice of prosciutto and a sage leaf or two on top of each slice of veal. Roll up into a log. Cut each log in two or three pieces. If they seem loose, you can secure them with a toothpick. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess.

In a large sauté pan, melt 3 tbsp of the butter over moderately high heat. Add the veal and brown on all sides. This will just take a few minutes. Remove the "birds" from the pan and add the Marsala. Cook quickly over a high heat, scraping up any brown bits in the pan, until reduced by about half. Add the broth and reduce by about half. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, then return the veal to the pan to reheat briefly—1 to 2 minutes—turning the meat once or twice.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, drizzled with the pan sauce and garnished with a lemon wedge and a sprig of parsley.

Crema di Cogne • Cooked Cream from Cogne

Cogne is the beautiful alpine town at the entrance to Italy's Gran Paradiso National Park. It is a famous cross-country ski resort, but it is also known for the quality of its food. The small village has several excellent restaurants and boasts exquisite mountain honey and Italy's famous fontina cheese as raw ingredients. Many traditional recipes have made the town a food lover's destination, and this is one of them, made from the sinfully rich cream of the cows whose milk goes to make fontina.

This dessert is normally served with the tegole hazelnut wafers. It is very easy to make, and presents itself in a graceful manner that belies its rustic mountain heritage. Naturally, a little bit goes a long way, as it is very rich. I serve it in a small liqueur glass with a tegole wafer dramatically perched on the rim. Most recipes I've seen use sugar as the sweetener, but I think honey works just as well. It adds another layer of flavor and, since Cogne is famous for its mountain honey, I think this transgression is a respectable one.

Serves 8

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup liquid honey
• 3 tbsp cocoa
• 5 fresh organic egg yolks
• Zest of 1/2 lemon

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with the whisk. Remove from the heat when it thickens just enough to coat the back of a spoon—just before it reaches a boil. Pour into glasses (I use champagne flutes or liqueur glasses) and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for several hours or up to 1 day.

To serve

Place the glass on a chilled dessert plate and serve with a tegole wafer (p. 364) and, if you like, a slice of honey semifreddo (p. 323).