Crispy Baked Turkey Cutlets

Cooking Instructions

Method:

Rinse and dry the breast pieces, and trim off all fat and tendons. Slice the meat (with the grain rather than across it) in strips roughly 2 inches wide and 4 inches long: you should get ten to fifteen pieces. Pound thick or uneven pieces, if necessary, with a meat mallet or other heavy flat object, so they're an even 1/2-to-2/3-inch thick. Put the strips in a bowl and toss them with salt, garlic slices, and 3 Tablespoons olive oil. Let them marinate for at least 15 minutes, preferably 1/2 hour, at room temperature.

Meanwhile, set a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat it to 425° F. Toss and stir together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, parsley, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, and salt until thoroughly blended. Lightly butter a baking sheet or coat with non-stick spray.

When the meat has marinated, lift out a few pieces and pick off the garlic slices. Drop the strips in the crumbs and roll them around, then pick them up one by one and press the crumbs so they stick to the meat on both sides.

Method:

Lay the coated strips flat on the baking sheet, spaced at least 1/4-inch apart. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on each strip, and put the pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the sheet back to front, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown on top and the meat is cooked through but still moist. Cut a piece open to check doneness. If the crumbs are browning quickly while the meat is still uncooked, set the tray lower in the oven and/or lay a sheet of foil over the cutlets. Don't let them overcook, and move them to a platter as soon as they come out of the oven, so they don't dry out on a hot baking sheet. Serve hot or warm. They are still very good reheated, and they make great sandwiches.

Round out the Meal:

With sauteed green beans and roasted potatoes

Kid Friendly:

Omit or reduce the garlic for sensitive palates

From Lidia's Family Table by Lidia Bastianich (Knopf, 2004)</il>