Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey and Coating
- 600 g turkey breast cutlets, whole pieces, patted dry
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 30 g all-purpose flour
Toppings
- 60 g prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 80 g fontina cheese, sliced
Pan Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter, cold, divided into two portions
- 80 ml dry marsala wine
- 120 ml chicken broth, low sodium
- 5 g fresh sage, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 426 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 2060 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 113 mg
- Potassium
- 708 mg
- Calcium
- 158 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 41 mg
- Phosphorus
- 456 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 104 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 11.0 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 168 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the turkey breast cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap. Gently pound them to an even 5mm thickness using a meat mallet.
Season the pounded turkey lightly on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the olive oil and half of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey cutlets and sear until golden brown on the first side, which takes about 2 minutes. Flip the cutlets.
Immediately top each flipped turkey cutlet with one slice of prosciutto followed by one slice of fontina cheese.
Cover the skillet to trap the heat. Allow the cheese to melt while the bottom of the turkey finishes cooking, about 2 minutes. Ensure the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit). Transfer the cutlets to a warm plate to rest.
Pour the dry Marsala wine into the hot, empty skillet over medium heat to deglaze. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon and let the wine reduce by half.
Stir the chicken broth into the skillet. Simmer the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and concentrates in flavor.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the remaining cold butter and whisk vigorously until it melts into the sauce, creating a smooth and glossy emulsion.
Spoon the warm Marsala sauce generously over the rested turkey and melted cheese. Garnish with the freshly chopped sage.
Chef's Notes
- Using a dry Marsala wine rather than sweet is essential. It balances the innate saltiness of the prosciutto and the richness of the cheese without making the final dish cloying.
- Pounding the turkey breast is not just for tenderizing; it guarantees that the meat cooks evenly and quickly, preventing it from drying out before a proper crust can form.
- Do not aggressively salt the raw turkey before cooking. Both the prosciutto and the cheese will introduce a significant amount of sodium as the dish rests.
- If your pan gets too hot and the browned bits begin to burn during the searing step, temporarily pull the skillet off the heat before deglazing to prevent a bitter pan sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The prosciutto will soften and the sauce will thicken when chilled.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce and prevent the meat from drying out.
Troubleshooting
Turkey is dry and tough to chew
Cause: The cutlets were overcooked or not pounded to an even thickness
Fix: Slice the meat thinly against the grain and allow it to soak in the warm Marsala sauce for a few minutes before serving
Prevention: Ensure the pan is fully preheated for a rapid sear, and remove the turkey immediately once it reaches internal temperature
Marsala sauce is thin, watery, or looks greasy
Cause: Insufficient reduction time or the butter was added over too high heat, breaking the emulsion
Fix: Return the pan to low heat, add a splash of cold water, and whisk vigorously to bring the emulsion back together
Prevention: Reduce the wine and broth thoroughly, and always remove the pan from direct heat before whisking in cold butter
Cultural Context
This recipe draws heavy inspiration from the classic Roman dish Saltimbocca, which traditionally features veal escalopes wrapped with prosciutto and sage, cooked in white wine. By substituting turkey breast and introducing a generous layer of melting cheese, it transforms into an accessible, hearty weeknight variation. The addition of a quick Marsala pan sauce bridges the gap between refined Northern Italian culinary techniques and hearty Italian-American comfort food.
