What side dish should I have with saltimbocca?

Question

What is traditionally the side dish you eat with saltimbocca a la romana?

Answer 1

I would venture to say there is no one specific traditional side dish. If you go to Italy you aren't going to see saltimbocca with a side of anything on the menu. You can pick you primi and contorni yourself. I think s very simple mixture of roasted or grilled asparagus and/or squash would be very nice.

If your wanting traditional and you are making a roman style saltimbooca (saltimbocca alla romana) You can try to pick a primi and contorni that would be common and traditional to that region. For example you can do "bucatini all'amatriciana" as a primi. With a nice fennel and orange and/or artichoke salad as a side And of course to the season it is being prepared. To me that is really what is "traditional" Italian cooking.

Answer 2

When I was much younger I worked at an 'authentic' Italian restaurant and I seem to recall that Fettuccine Alfredo was our standard side with chicken saltimbocca.

The Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis recommends Penne with Treviso and Goat Cheese as a side dish with her saltimbocca.