Turkey in the Style of Romagna: Turkey Cotolette Alla Romagnola

4 turkey cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick, about 1 1/2 pounds
Salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup Basic Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 paper thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1/4 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved with peeler into shards

Season the turkey pieces with salt and pepper and place in the beaten egg. Drain to remove the excess and dredge in bread crumbs, pressing to coat each evenly. Lay on a plate and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a 14 to 16-inch saute pan (large enough to hold all 4 turkey pieces at the same time) over medium heat, heat the oil and butter until the butter foams and dissipates. Place the turkey pieces in a pan and cook slowly until golden brown on 1 side, about 6 to 7 minutes. DO NOT RUSH THIS STEP OR THEY WILL BURN. Turn and cook the other side. When both sides are golden brown, pour the tomato sauce and chicken stock around the meat and bring to a boil. Place 1 slice prosciutto over each piece and sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and place, uncovered, in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and place on a warmed serving platter. Drizzle with spoonfuls of the sauce and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Basic Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt, to taste

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. Yield: 4 cups

Brown Chicken Stock:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 1/2 pounds chicken wings, backs, and bones
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
3 quarts water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the chicken parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley. Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetable bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat. Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids. Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Yield: 1 1/2 quarts