Veal Medallions with Pancetta and Hunter Mozzarella

Ingredients
4 veal medallions or Frenched Veal Cutlets
4 thin slices pancetta
Mozzarella cheese, sliced
1kg ripe Roma tomatoes
Salt
Sugar
Tabasco
4 basil leaves

Method
1 - Wash and halve tomatoes, spray lightly with olive oil and place cut side up in a dish. Bake in a hot oven (190C-200C) for approx 25-30 minutes. Cool. Puree and then lightly rub through a sieve. Add salt and a pinch or two of sugar to taste, it will make the tomatoes taste richer but do not make it sweet! Discard the remaining skin and seeds. Season with tabasco. In a small saucepan, reduce by approximately one third.

2 - Season veal with some salt and pepper & seal veal on a hot pan for only 30 seconds each side. Arrange veal on a baking dish. Top each medallion with a slice of pancetta, then a basil leaf and then the mozzarella.

3 - Bake approximately 6-8 minutes in a moderate oven (180C) (approx 12 minutes if you use a thick veal cutlet)

4 - Lift veal carefully onto plate and spoon tomato puree over the top.

Serve with steamed young potatoes tossed in extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper, leaf salad with balsamic dressing and a glass or two of 2003 Top Block Chardonnay.

Taste the food and wine separately first then see how their flavours intertwine when put together! Bellisimo!