STUFFED LETTUCE

This is a typical Ligurian recipe, part of the so-called “cucina povera” — simple, humble cooking made with what the vegetable garden offered: greens, aromatic herbs, eggs, a bit of ricotta and leftover bread.

The result is a delicate, nutritious dish that’s easy to digest and suited to all palates.

You can use the outer leaves of the lettuce — the ones usually discarded when making salads.

INGREDIENTS

• A few large lettuce leaves (6 to 8 depending on size)

• 1 egg ……… approx. 80 kcal

• 65 g ricotta ……… approx. 80 kcal

• 15 g grated Parmesan (heaping tablespoon) ……… approx. 60 kcal

• 30 g stale bread or breadcrumbs ……… approx. 100 kcal

• 1 slice cooked ham or smoked ham ……… approx. 30 kcal

• Fresh marjoram (or dried marjoram, or oregano)

• A pinch of nutmeg

• 1 garlic clove

• Half a mushroom-flavored stock cube

• White kitchen string

TOTAL CALORIES: approx. 350

Optional: You can make a lighter version by skipping the bread and serving the roll with fresh vegetables (like tomatoes, sliced fennel, grated carrots) to increase satiety with very few additional calories.

PREPARATION

Soak and squeeze the bread (or use breadcrumbs). Put it in a blender with the marjoram and blend briefly.

In a bowl, combine the egg, bread-herb mixture, Parmesan, ricotta and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix with a fork to get a thick filling.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate, overlapping to form a sort of shell. Lay the slice of ham over them, then spoon the filling in the center.

Roll everything into a bundle, as shown in the photo, and tie it with kitchen string.

In a saucepan, bring enough water to a boil to fully submerge the roll. Add the garlic and half a stock cube.

When boiling, gently place the stuffed lettuce roll in the pot and cook for 5–6 minutes.

Let it cool slightly on a cutting board. Then remove the string carefully with scissors.

Serve on a plate as is. The broth can be used to make a small soup with 10 g of tiny pasta shapes and 10 g Parmesan: a warm starter for just 80 kcal more.

This is a dish from my homeland, one I truly love — delicate, essential, almost zen in its simplicity.