Oak Park diners who know Italian will tell you that the veal cutlet used in veal Parmigiana is called a cotoletta, which literally translates to “little rib.” A veal cutlet is called that because it consists of the bone-in veal loin chop—the bone is a rib bone—that’s around a half an inch thick. Sure, a veal cutlet can leave off the bone and still be made into veal cutlet Parmigiana. Since the dish in an Italian-American mix of several dishes, it’s fine to make some adjustments. The cutlet is breaded in dried bread crumbs, then fried crispy before getting smothered with marinara sauce and cheese and finished in the oven. The results offer a mildly beefy flavor with a comforting crunch in the hardy tomato and mozzarella/parmesan robe. 

Many Italian immigrants on the East Coast at the beginning of the 20th century popularized veal parmigiana. Veal was used instead of chicken because, at the time, it was the more affordable option. By the 1950s, veal Parmigiana recipes were appearing in cookbooks. 

What is Veal Parmigiana’s Origin? 

As we mentioned, veal Parmigiana as we know it came from Italian-Americans combining several recipes. The original Italian dish that evolved into veal Parmigiana used eggplant and was similar to modern eggplant Parmigiana. Despite the name, the dish didn’t come from the Parma region, but most likely started in the tomato-rich Campania region near Naples. 

Enjoy Veal Parmigiana Near Brookfield at Salerno’s Pizza

At Salerno’s Pizza, we’re happy to serve our handmade veal Parmigiana to Stickney diners who love it! Order our veal Parmigiana for yourself, or for a crowd when you place a catering order. We can help you pair our veal Parmigiana with appetizers like our antipasto or crispy arancini. Try our veal Parmigiana today and enjoy an important taste of Italian-American history!