Recipe of the week: Chicken saltimbocca

How I miss the old-school Italian restaurants of San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, said David Tanis in The New York Times. Vanessi’s, which survived many decades amid the burlesque joints on Broadway, made a deeply satisfying veal saltimbocca. You can make this easy dish with chicken instead; it fits right in with the current craze for retro Italian-American cooking.

Chicken saltimbocca

• 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4-oz pieces
• 1 tbsp chopped sage, plus 24 sage leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• Olive oil
• 6 thin slices prosciutto
• 6 slices fontina cheese (about 4 oz)

With a meat mallet, pound the chicken until flattened a bit. Salt and pepper each piece on both sides and place on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped sage, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and olive oil. Massage in seasoning to distribute, then cover and marinate for at least an hour at room temperature (or refrigerate overnight).

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Heat a wide skillet over medium heat and add 3 tbsp olive oil. When oil looks wavy, add sage leaves and let them crisp for about 30 seconds. Remove and drain. Brown the chicken breasts in the oil for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a baking dish large enough to fit them in one layer. Top each piece with 2 sage leaves, a slice of prosciutto, and a slice of fontina. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Garnish with remaining sage leaves. Serves 4 to 6.