Veal Scallopini Milanese

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Photo: Charles Schiller
Servings:
4

This lightened-up version of the Italian classic substitutes spaghetti squash for pasta but still packs all the flavor and texture of the traditional.

Ingredients

  • 1 small spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds), halved lengthwise

  • 1 pound veal scallopini, pounded thin

For the Crumbs

  • ½ cup plain breadcrumbs

  • ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the Garnish

  • 1 ½ teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the Sprouts

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

  • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 3 ounces sunflower sprouts (2 cups packed)

  • 2 ounces pea shoots (3 cups packed)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash cut side down in baking dish; add 1/4 inch water. Cover with foil, and bake in oven until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Scoop out and discard seeds. Scrape strands from the flesh with a fork. Transfer to a bowl; cover with foil to keep warm.

  2. Preheat broiler. In a shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place veal in another bowl, and coat with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Dredge veal in breadcrumb mixture; turn to coat well. Transfer to baking sheet.

  3. Rub inside of large wooden salad bowl with garlic. Add lemon juice, salt, and remaining tablespoon oil. Add tomatoes, sprouts, and shoots to bowl; set aside.

  4. Place veal about 5 inches under broiler, and cook until golden and browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes, rotating pan every minute. Turn over; cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer veal to serving plates.

  5. Toss sprout mixture; season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve on top of veal, with spaghetti squash on the side.

Cook's Notes

Broiling meat with a little olive oil to make it crisp instead of frying it in lots of butter creates a healthful version of veal Milanese. Spaghetti squash, rich in fiber, stands in for pasta to complete the meal. The arrival of tender pea shoots signals the beginning of spring. We paired them with crunchy sunflower sprouts for a refreshing twist on this classic dish.

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