The Milanese cotoletta — veal chop on the bone, pounded thin, breaded in fine breadcrumbs, and fried in clarified butter — is the most demanding version of the breaded cutlet principle. The pounding must be done carefully to avoid tearing the meat from the bone; the breadcrumb must adhere to the pounded surface without detaching in the pan; the clarified butter must be at exactly the right temperature to produce the distinctive golden, thin, crispy crust that defines a true cotoletta.
- **The veal rib chop:** With the rib bone — the bone is the Milanese marker distinguishing it from the boneless escalope. - **The pounding:** Circular motion from centre outward — never straight strikes that tear the meat. The meat should thin to approximately 5–6mm while remaining attached to the bone. - **Fine breadcrumbs:** Freshly made from day-old white bread — not panko, not commercial coarse crumbs. The fine crumb produces the classic uniform, thin crust. - **Clarified butter:** Not whole butter (the milk solids burn before the crust develops); not oil (the flavour is wrong). Clarified butter at 160°C. - **The pressing:** Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto both surfaces before frying — the same principle as katsu (TJ-23).
Hazan