This lively little recipe for chicken breast is a play on the classic Italian saltimbocca, made with veal scaloppine. The chicken breasts are sliced on the diagonal, pounded flat, and pounded again to unite them with their topping of sage leaf and prosciutto. Serve them with pasta quills or shells.

Ingredients:

Makes about 4 to 6 servings ,4 medium boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb/500 g total), without skin ,16 sage leaves, more for garnish ,4 thin slices prosciutto (about 3 oz/90 g) ,4 tablespoons/60 g/2 oz butter ,1 cup/250 ml/8 fl oz full-flavored red wine ,salt and pepper

2. Trim fat from the prosciutto slices and cut each one in 4 pieces. Put a sage leaf on each piece of chicken and top with a piece of prosciutto. Cover with plastic wrap, pound to press the prosciutto into the chicken meat, then peel off the wrap. Prepare the remaining saltimbocca in the same way.

3. Heat half the butter in a frying pan and, when it has stopped sputtering, add a few of the saltimbocca to the pan, prosciutto side down. Sauté over medium heat until brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, about 1 minute longer. The chicken should no longer be pink in the center, but don't overcook it or it will be dry. Transfer the saltimbocca to a warm platter and keep warm while frying the rest.

4. When all the saltimbocca are cooked, add the red wine to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the pan juices. Reduce 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened to a glaze. Add the remaining butter in small pieces, swirling the pan over low heat so the butter softens and thickens the sauce slightly without melting to oil. Taste, adjust the seasoning and spoon it over the saltimbocca.