Saltimboca alla Romana is a Roman classic. Fragrant sage leaves are sandwiched between a tender veal cutlet and a transparently thin slice of prosciutto. Held together by a toothpick, the trio are quickly sauteed in a mixture of white wine and olive oil. It is a staple of almost every Roman trattoria in town.
Alessio, the chef and owner of Taverna dei Fori Imperiali, has taken that iconic dish as his inspiration for creating Pasta alla Romana. Sage and prosciutto are combined with fresh scallions and then – substituting pine nuts for veal – the heavenly mixture gets tossed atop fettucine with a handful of cheese.
Easy to make at home. Especially if you watch Alessio make it himself.
pasta alla romana
(serves 4)
1.5 pounds fresh fettucine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped prosciutto (cut into 1 inch matchstick size pieces)
20 sage leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoons saffron powder (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta.
While pasta is cooking, pour oil in a pan big enough to hold all of the drained pasta afterwards. Add the sage, scallions and pine nuts, and raise the heat to medium high. Stir for a minute, then add the prosciutto. Give it another swirl, then add saffron and grated cheese and a half cup of the pasta water. Stir and turn heat to very low.
Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water. Add pasta to the pan. Turn up the heat and stir, adding a bit more of the pasta cooking water, stirring to incorporate the sauce and make sure that the cheese is evenly distributed.
Serve topped with a bit more parmigiano cheese.
Set table with a red checked tablecloth , place plate on the table and pretend you are in a Roman trattoria. 
Taverna dei Fori Imperiali
Via Madonna dei Monti 9
+39.06.679.8643
Closed Tuesday.
For more information about dining in Rome, download my app, Eat Italy, available on iTunes and for Android.
More videos! This made my morning. Hilarious.
It was fun making it!!
Fantastic! First, I love the recipe. The flavors of veal saltimbocca have always appealed to me, with the exception of the veal, that is. This dish is right up my alley.
What production value! The video looks great, and the subtitles & cooking directions are really beautifully done. Brava! Who is the vocal artist and what is the name of the song? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thanks Adri! The singer is G. Silvestrini, and the song is Passeggiata Romana.
Love It!
Looks like that’s what well be having for lunch.
BTW Those are pretty hefty scallions.
Do you think I can I get away with leeks?
I realize I need to add a noisy fork to my repertoire.
Thanks.You are the best.
Yes, I’m sure it would be delicious with leeks. As long as you have a noisy fork.
I am now requesting this dish for our Mother’s Day dinner. Works perfectly for our half veggie/half non-veggie household and my girls make a killer fresh fettucine. Thanks for the inspiration, Elizabeth!
I’m sure it will be even more delicious when made by loving daughters.
Absolutely LOVE the video!
Great! 7-8 years ago we found Taverna, it is our favorite trattoria in Rome. We would stop by a few minuits before opening and Alessio would join us at the tables in the street with a glass of wine and we would be joined by 2 “gatti di Roma” he would feed before opening.
Ah….those were the days! I wish they would start having outdoor tables again. They’ve moved down the street now, and have never received a permit for outdoor tables. The cat, however, is still very much in residence.
Came home yesterday from a trip and was thinking what am I going to make for dinner? I read your post, had all the ingredients and had a wonderful dinner. I used leeks instead, so yummy!
That was fast!
I’m eating the fettuccine for breakfast right now!
Your sister from another mother.
Great place and the waiter Petro I think his name was not only made my time at the restaurant special, recommending great items off the menu and pairing it with excellent wine, but he also gave us some great insight into places to add to our itinerary on our time in the eternal city. Great food, Awesome staff what more is there to want.
that looks fabulous. Now tomorrow’s dinner. Wish I could find that song on iTunes–it’s not there 🙁
I love this video and am dying to try the recipe. Thanks for posting.
I would humbly suggest, tho, that “1 tblsp of saffron powder” is somewhat suspect. First, saffron *powder* is often adulterated so you don’t know what your getting, and second, the flavor quickly fades in powder form on the shelf. Perhaps that’s why the recipe calls for such a large amount. A more reliable measurement would be a quantity of saffron threads, and that would better ensure the flavor the chef intends.
Still, can’t wait to try this. Thanks again.
Hilarious! And I love Alessio’s apron. Must get my hands on one for the full Monti experience when making this dish.
I recently bought your book and subscribed to your blog. On the page for the “pasta alla romana” recipe there’s a link for downloading your Android “Eat Italy” app (http://sutromedia.com/android/Eat_Rome) which doesn’t work. I also can’t find any of your apps on the Android Play Store. Are they available, or will they be, for Android? I really enjoy your book and blog.
Thanks so much! Unfortunately for now, and for the foreseeable future, my apps won’t be available for Android. I will be issuing the material as an ebook, which will be available to those without and iPhone.