Veal Parmigiana

Mangiamo! When my mother was in her 80's, she loved to dine in an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called Michael's. Each time she went there, she would carefully peruse the menu and then order the same dinner, veal parmigiana. When it arived she cut it in half and asked the waiter to pack it for her; but she never ate the other half at home. In honor of my mom and her favorite Italian dish, here's veal parmigiana.

Serves 4

8 ounces veal (or thin-sliced chicken) cutlets
2 eggs slightly beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup your favorite tomato sauce
1/4 cup parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 pound Mozzarella cheese, sliced

1. Place the cutlets between sheets of waxed paper or in a small plastic storage bag and pound them with a meat mallet to 1/4 inch thickness.

2. Spread flour on a plate. Dredge the cutlets in flour and shake off the excess. Dip the cutlets in eggs which have been mixed with salt and pepper, and then coat them with the bread crumbs.

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook cutlets for 2-3 minutes per side.

4. Transfer veal to large casserole in which you have placed tomato sauce. Top the veal with a slice of mozzarella and cover with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.

5. Cook in a 350 degree oven until cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with your favorite pasta. Use the tamato sauce from the pan as your pasta sauce.