Half-time Saltimbocca Pork with Parma ham, sage and Marsala

This famous Roman dish made with veal also works well with pork. It takes only minutes to cook, then serve it on your lap for the second half with a watercress, rocket and spinach salad, tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. And have plenty of warm focaccia or ciabatta to go with it.

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Recipe adapted from Delia’s Summer Collection

Method

You can prepare the meat before the match starts. Lay the pieces out on a chopping board and cover with clingfilm, then using a rolling pin, batter them out to make them a little thinner – but don’t go mad and break the meat, it just needs to be flattened and stretched a bit.

Now season and lay the slices of Parma ham on top of each one (because they won’t be precisely the same size, fold the ham and double over the pieces if necessary to make them fit). Place a sage leaf in the centre of each piece and secure it with a cocktail stick. Then pop them in the fridge till half-time.

As soon as the whistle goes, heat the oil in the frying pan until fairly hot, and dip the slices in flour to cover both sides. Fry them (sage leaf side down) for 2 minutes, then flip them over and fry for another minute.
After that, pour in the Marsala, turn the heat up and let it bubble and reduce for a minute or so until it becomes a syrupy sauce.

Transfer the pork to warmed serving plates, remove the cocktail sticks and spoon the sauce over. A bottle of robust Italian red wine (such as Poggiotondo, Cerro del Masso 2007 Chianti) would be great with this,
especially if things are going well.