Wiener schnitzel (crispy breaded veal cutlet)

Method

1. 1

   Gently pound the meat slices with a meat mallet until very thin and even (about ½ cm), then salt them on both sides.

2. 2

   Set out three plates: flour, beaten egg and fine breadcrumbs.

3. 3

   Dip each slice in the flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs, pressing very lightly without packing them down (the secret to the wavy, golden puffed coating that is the hallmark of Wiener schnitzel).

4. 4

   Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a large frying pan to a depth of about 1 cm (shallow frying) and fry the schnitzels for 2–3 minutes per side, gently shaking the pan as they cook, until the characteristic golden puffs form.

5. 5

   Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately, piping hot, with fresh lemon slices and potato salad or a seasonal vegetable salad. It is Austria’s unofficial national dish.