The cotoletta alla Milanese is one of the great dishes of Lombardy, and the Milanese will argue with anyone who suggests the Viennese invented it first. They did not. Milan was serving breaded cutlets when Vienna was still figuring out how to boil water.

The traditional version uses veal, but pork makes an excellent and more economical substitute. What matters is the bone. A costoletta is not a scaloppina. The bone conducts heat differently, protects the meat from overcooking, and gives you something to hold while you eat. If your butcher offers you boneless chops, find another butcher.

The breading is flour, egg, breadcrumbs. Nothing else. No herbs in the crumbs, no garlic powder, no Parmesan mixed in. The Milanese have been making this the same way for centuries because it works. The fine, dry breadcrumbs create a crust that shatters. The clarified butter gives color and richness without burning. Simple does not mean easy. It means every element must be correct because there is nowhere to hide mistakes.