Italian classics - Veal Milanese & Spaghetti Napoletana

This is without doubt my most favourite Italian dish.  I always order it if it is on the menu, I always think it's a bit of a 70's classic as you don't tend to see it that much.  This was my first time cooking it at home, so I had to compete with all the restaurant versions I'd ever eaten before.  Folks in the UK will know that veal is not that common at home, especially in supermarkets, but pay a visit to your local butcher who is sure to have Rose Veal, and you won't be disappointed.  Here in Canada there was an actual section in the supermarket stocking it, so I flung a pack of escalopes in the trolley mainly because of the novelty, without really knowing what I was going to do with it.

You can eat this dish without the spaghetti, but it is traditionally served like this, and well, it's how I like it.   Regular veggies and potatoes would be fine, but I think the tomatoey sauce goes really well with it.  The Napoletana sauce aka tomato sauce is so easy to prepare, and I always make a larger batch than I need so I can store some in the freezer.  It is such a multi purpose sauce.  You can use it for home made pizzas, a quick supper with pasta or as a sauce alongside grilled chicken and fish.  This quantity makes enough sauce for 4 people, so if you want to get a batch prepared for the freezer then just double, triple the ingredients.

For 2 people you will need....

1-2 veal escalopes per person depending on their size
200g breadcrumbs
2-3 tbsps plain flour
2 eggs
salt & pepper
1 lemon

150-200g spaghetti
1 large onion finely chopped
2 x 400ml cans of chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves crushed
olive oil
1 tbsp dried basil or a handful of fresh if you have it.

• Start with the sauce and heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a pan on a low heat.  Cook the onions for 5 to 10 minutes - slow and low - until they are soft.  They shouldn't be coloured at all, instead they get to a stage where they have a milky translucency.  Then stir in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the tomatoes and basil.  Season with salt and pepper and allow to simmer on a low heat for 40 minutes.  Once cooked, blend the sauce with a hand blender to a smoother consistency.
• Now prepare the veal escalopes.  The meat needs to be beaten out so it is nice and flat and cooks quickly.  So use a meat tenderiser if you have one or failing that put the meat between a piece of clingfilm and beat with a rolling pin.  Then tip the flour onto a plate and season it.  You can add some Italian herb seasonings here if you like, maybe some oregano, rosemary, basil etc.  Then beat the eggs in a bowl, and finally add another plate with the breadcrumbs.  Now you have set up your conveyor belt, simply coat each escalope in flour, dip in the egg and dredge in breadcrumbs. 
• Add your pasta to boiling water as per the packet instructions, and whilst that is cooking you can fry off the veal.  Heat some olive oil in a non-stick pan on a medium-high heat and flash fry for a minute on each side or until the coating is a golden brown. 
• Serve alongside a green salad and don't forget to add some lemon wedges to squeeze over the veal, which is essential for this dish.  Enjoy!