Veal Piccata Spaghetti
Thin veal escalopes seared in butter, then folded through spaghetti with a bright lemon and caper pan sauce. The starchy pasta water brings it all together into a glossy, tangy coating.
- Total
- 30 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 20
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Pan sauce
- Savory
- Italian
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Fill a large pot with 2 l water and set it over high heat. While it comes to a boil, pat the veal escalopes dry with paper towel and season both sides with the salt and black pepper.
~6 min
Salting veal early draws out moisture, which is then patted dry to ensure a proper sear.
-
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Before draining, scoop out 250 ml of the starchy cooking water and set it aside. Drain the spaghetti in a colander.
~9 min
Starchy pasta water contains gelatinized starch that helps the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the spaghetti cooks, spread the flour on a plate and press each veal escalope into it, shaking off the excess so only a thin coat remains. Zest the lemon into a small bowl, then juice it into the same bowl.
~3 min
A thin flour coat promotes even browning and helps thicken the pan sauce.
-
Melt 20 g butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it foams. Lay in the veal escalopes and sear until golden underneath, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the veal to a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
~4 min
Searing in foaming butter creates Maillard browning, adding deep flavor to the veal.
Sear the veal in a single layer without crowding; if your pan is small, cook it in two batches so the escalopes brown instead of steam.
Searing Sear in a single layer over medium-high heat without crowding; if the pan is small, cook in batches so the veal browns instead of steaming.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the reserved 250 ml pasta water, the lemon juice and zest, and the capers to the skillet. Simmer, scraping up the browned bits, until the liquid reduces by about half, 3 to 4 minutes.
~4 min
Simmering reduces the liquid, concentrating flavors and allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
Add the lemon juice off the highest heat: boiling it hard can turn the sauce bitter, so keep the pan at a gentle simmer.
Pan sauce Deglaze with pasta water, scraping up browned bits, then simmer to reduce; finish by tossing with butter to emulsify into a glossy sauce.
-
Add the drained spaghetti and the remaining 20 g butter to the skillet and toss until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the pasta, about 1 minute. Return the veal and any resting juices, toss gently, and cook just until the veal is warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.
~2 min
Tossing pasta with butter and sauce emulsifies the fat and starch, creating a glossy, clinging coating.
Pan sauce Deglaze with pasta water, scraping up browned bits, then simmer to reduce; finish by tossing with butter to emulsify into a glossy sauce.