Costolette alla Valdostana con Fontina Fusa

Verify that each chop is at least 3 cm thick. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut a horizontal pocket into the meat from the bone side, leaving the three outer edges intact. Lay one slice of prosciutto di Bosses flat inside the pocket; place one slice of Fontina DOP on top of the prosciutto. Close the pocket and seal the opening with two toothpicks, pressing the edges firmly together with the heel of the hand. The seal is complete when the edges feel fused and will not part under light pressure.

Set out three shallow dishes in line: flour in the first, beaten egg in the second, breadcrumbs in the third. Season the chops lightly with salt. Dredge each chop in flour, coating all surfaces and shaking off the excess. Draw through the beaten egg, allowing the surplus to fall away. Press firmly into the breadcrumbs, turning and pressing again to ensure an even, unbroken coat on every face, including the sealed edge. Repeat the egg and breadcrumb stages once more. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: a single coat will not contain the molten Fontina, and any gap in the crust will cause the filling to leak into the pan before it can be served.

Heat the clarified butter in a heavy-based pan wide enough to hold all four chops without crowding, or work in two pans. Bring the butter to 160°C — at this temperature a pinch of breadcrumb dropped in sizzles steadily without darkening immediately. Lay in the chops. Fry undisturbed until the underside is a deep, even amber and the crust releases cleanly from the pan.

Turn the chops once. Continue frying on the second side until the crust reaches the same deep amber. Press the centre of each chop gently with a fingertip: the meat should offer slight resistance rather than feeling soft and yielding, and the interior should feel warm to the touch through the crust — the signal that the Fontina has reached melting point.

Remove the toothpicks. Transfer the chops immediately to warmed plates. The correct moment to serve is when the first cut releases a slow flow of molten, creamy Fontina — it should not be set or stringy. Serve at once with lemon wedges alongside.