Quickly rinse the chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper toweling. Discard the tendons and any connective tissue or fat from the breasts; then separate the little fillet from each breast and reserve for another purpose. Place each breast between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or other flat, heavy instrument to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch. Lightly sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Trim the prosciutto slices to fit atop the chicken slices precisely. Top each chicken piece with a slice of prosciutto and 1 or 2 sage leaves, securing each leaf in place with a toothpick.

In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan or skillet (without a nonstick coating), combine 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter stops foaming, add as many of the chicken pieces as will fit comfortably without crowding the pan. Brown on one side, then turn and cook on the other side until browned and opaque all the way through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Use a small sharp knife to check for doneness. Remove the chicken to a warmed platter and cover to keep warm. Cook the remaining chicken in the same way, adding a little more butter and oil if necessary to prevent sticking.

When all of the chicken is cooked, discard the cooking fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the wine and salt and pepper to taste to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden utensil to loosen any browned bits. Reduce the wine to about 1/2 cup, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Discard the toothpicks from the chicken and transfer the slices to 4 individual plates. Pour the pan sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Copyright by James McNair. Adapted from James McNair Cooks Italian (Chronicle Books, San Francisco) and used by permission of the publisher. (Recipe provided by Montevina)