This is a basic parm recipe. You can use the traditional chicken breast or veal, or you can do what I do and use wild turkey cutlets, or pheasant breasts. Do your best to not get too fancy with this: It's comfort food, and it doesn't need lots of extra ingredients. Just be sure to get the best quality cheese and tomatoes you can find.
2tablespoonschopped fresh oregano or basil or parsley
1/2teaspoonred pepper flakes
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
TURKEY
4to 8 turkey or pheasant breast cutlets,about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total
Salt
2eggs,lightly beaten
1cupbreadcrumbs
1/2cupfreshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4cupolive oil
1/2poundmozzarella cheesesliced
Instructions
Make the sauce first. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot and saute the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the tomato paste, mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. You want the tomato paste to darken to a brick color.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes, the wine, the salt, red pepper flakes, sugar and the herbs. Mix well and let this simmer gently while you finish the dish.
Start with slices of turkey breast about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. It doesn't matter too much how large the slices are, as you can cut them into serving pieces after you pound them flat. Put the slices between two pieces of plastic wrap, then pound them flat; I like mine between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.
Mix the parmigiano cheese with the breadcrumbs. Salt the turkey well, dip into the beaten eggs and then dredge in the breadcrumb-cheese mixture. Heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large pan and fry the turkey cutlets over medium-high heat until golden on both sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.
While the turkey is frying, preheat the oven to 375°F. Find a casserole pan (9x13 is a good size) and lay down a layer of sauce. Put the cooked turkey cutlets on the sauce in one layer. Lay down a little more sauce, then cover each cutlet with the mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven until the mozzarella just starts to brown on the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or in a hoagie roll.