Sage

Sage is an armored herb, loaded with thujone, camphor, and cineole. Unlike delicate herbs, its woody matrix requires heat to release its fat-soluble active principles. Tossed into crackling brown butter, the water in its leaves evaporates violently (frying), making the leaf crystalline and crunchy, while infusing the fat with a powerful resinous and musky aroma. This is the essential biochemical equation for true Roman Saltimbocca or sage butter gnocchi.