Milan, Lombardia — the Milanese cotoletta is documented from the 11th century in a list of dishes served at a Milanese church banquet (the 'lombos cum panitio' — loin with breadcrumbs). The Vienna-Milan debate about precedence has never been resolved. Both preparations are extraordinary.
Cotoletta alla Milanese is one of the great contested preparations of European food culture — a bone-in veal chop dipped in beaten egg, coated in fine breadcrumbs, and fried in abundant clarified butter until golden and crispy. The 'ear of elephant' form (orecchia d'elefante) — the bone-in chop pounded thin so the meat extends well beyond the rib bone — is the Milanese presentation. The dispute with the Wiener Schnitzel (which is boneless veal, shallow-fried, similar but different) is ancient and passionate: Milanese claim their preparation is older; Viennese claim the Austrians brought it to Milan during the Habsburg period. Neither concedes.
Cotoletta alla Milanese on the plate is thin, golden, and larger than the plate it arrives on — the meat extending around the rib bone like an elephant's ear. The crust is even, deep gold, and fragrant with clarified butter. A squeeze of lemon and the first bite — the crust cracks; the veal is tender, juicy, and mild beneath; the butter-breadcrumb flavour is clean and rich. It is, despite its simplicity, one of the most satisfying preparations in European cooking.
The veal chop: rib chop with the bone attached, pounded firmly to 5-6mm thickness (the meat spreads well beyond the bone). Do not season before coating — the eggs contain sufficient salt. Dip in beaten egg; press into fine breadcrumbs (Japanese panko is too coarse; fine Italian breadcrumbs are correct) — press firmly so the crumb adheres. Fry in abundant clarified butter (not whole butter, not oil) at 160-170°C — low enough to cook through without burning. 4-5 minutes per side. The cotoletta should be deep golden, not brown. Drain briefly; season with sea salt immediately. Serve with lemon wedges — nothing else.
The bone-in form is the definitive Milanese presentation; boneless escalope (the 'scaloppina') is a different preparation. The pounding should be done on a clean surface with a meat mallet — thin (5-6mm) and even. Clarified butter is made by melting unsalted butter, skimming the foam, and carefully decanting the clear golden fat, leaving the milk solids behind. The lemon squeeze at table is mandatory — the acid cuts through the butter richness.
Oil or whole butter instead of clarified butter — clarified butter is essential; it does not burn at the temperature required and produces the characteristic golden crust. Breadcrumbs too coarse — coarse crumbs create an uneven, separated crust; fine breadcrumbs produce the even, adhered golden coating. Frying at too high temperature — too hot produces a dark exterior before the veal is cooked through.
Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking; Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy