Along with many other Italian cooks, I have always been intrigued by the fascinating role that plain salad greens can play in cooking. In this book, for example, see the tonnarelli and the grilled endive; in More Classic Italian Cooking, see the stuffed lettuce soup. Boston lettuce is very similar to cappuccina, a tender Italian lettuce; in this recipe it gets its chance to show the remarkably expressive flavor it has once it is let out of the salad bowl.

The parboiled lettuce is wrapped with the butcher’s best bacon, baked for a time, then topped with slices of milk-soaked bread, with beaten egg, nutmeg, and Parmesan, and baked some more until a crust forms on top. The rich taste makes this not only a strikingly interesting side dish but also a worthy course on its own.