SPIEDINI ALL’UCCELLETTO (veal and sausage skewers with sage and white wine, for six)

1-1/4 pounds mild sausage, preferably luganega, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

20 whole sage leaves, preferably fresh

1 pound veal, all meat, preferably leg, cut into 1-1/2 inch dice

½ pound pancetta, cut into pieces 1-1/2 inches long

approximately 12 skewers, not more than 6 to 8 inches long

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2/3 cup dry white wine

1. Alternate the meat on the skewers in the following sequence: 1 piece sausage, a sage leaf, 1 piece of veal, and 1 piece of pancetta.  As you get to the end you may run short of some of the ingredients, but make sure there is at least one of each on every skewer.  If you are using dried sage, do not attempt to skewer it because it will crumble.  Put it loose in the pan later, together with the skewers.

2. Choose a 9 to 10 inch sauté pan, depending on the length of the skewers. Put in the oil, and turn the heat to medium.  When the oil is hot, slip in the skewers (and add the dried sage, if you are using it).  Brown the meat well on all sides.  If the skewers won’t all fit into the pan at the same time, put as many as will fit without overlapping.  Brown those, then remove them and finish the rest.

3. Return all the browned meat to the pan. Add the wine and turn up the heat to high for just a few seconds.  When the wine begins to bubble, turn the heat down to minimum and cover the pan.

4. Cook for about 25 minutes, turning the skewers from time to time. They are done when the veal is tender when pierced with a fork.  Should there be liquid left in the pan, uncover, turn up the heat and boil it away.

5. Transfer the skewers to a warm platter. Tip the pan slightly, and remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat with a spoon.  Pour 1/3 cup water into the pan and boil it away over medium heat while scraping lose with a wooden spoon the cooking residue at the bottom of the pan.  Pour sauce over the skewers and serve at once.

from Marcella Hazan, More Classic Italian Cooking