Schnitzel Napoli

June 7, 2012

Schnitzel Napoli © kvalifood.com

Schnitzel Napoli is a baked dish where the schnitzels are briefly browned in a pan and then finished in the oven with ham, tomato, and melted cheese on top. It is easier than a Wiener Schnitzel and can be assembled ahead of time. The dish is inspired by Italian cooking but has become a fixture of everyday Danish home cooking.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

4 schnitzels of veal (or pork leg), about 150 g each
1 tbsp oil
25 g butter
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 slices smoked ham
8 slices tomato
4 slices Emmentaler (or firm yellow cheese)
1 dl stock

To serve

baguette
green salad

Directions

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pound the meat slices with the heel of your hand and pat them dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Browning

Heat the oil and butter in a pan over high heat. Sear the schnitzels for about 30 seconds on each side — they should get a little color but not cook through. Transfer them to a greased ovenproof dish.

Topping and oven

Mix the basil and garlic and sprinkle over the meat. Place a slice of ham, 2 slices of tomato, and a slice of cheese on each schnitzel. Deglaze the pan with the stock and pour the pan juices into the dish. Bake in the middle of the oven at 425°F (220°C) for 10–15 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

Serving

Serve directly from the dish with baguette and green salad.

Notes

The schnitzels should only be briefly seared — they finish cooking in the oven; do not brown them all the way through or they will turn out dry
Danbo 45+ is the classic Danish cheese for this dish; Emmentaler melts a little more evenly
The dish can be assembled the evening before and baked for 30 minutes at 355°F (180°C) fan-assisted from the fridge
Fresh basil is better than dried if you have it