Name: Lattughe Ripiene al Pomodoro e Basilico (Stuffed Lettuce Rolls with Tomato and Basil)
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ½ pound/225 g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; 1 pound/½ kilo fresh ripe tomatoes, washed, chopped, seeds removed; 20 small basil leaves (or 10 larger leaves, torn in half, carefully wiped; 4 (2 + 2) tablespoons/60 (30 + 30) ml Ligurian extravirgin olive oil; 24 leaves of Bibb or Boston lettuce, unblemished and quite fresh; 3 large eggs, beaten; ½ cup/60 g unflavored bread crumbs; ½ ounce/15 g dried funghi porcini, soaked in 3 changes of water, squeezed dry, then minced; 1 pinch fresh oregano, torn into bits; 1 pinch fresh thyme, torn into bits; ½ cup/60 g minced fresh Italian fat) parsley; 1 clove garlic, green heart removed, minced; ½ pound/225 g mortadella, cut into 1 piece, then minced

Preparation info

Makes
4 to 6
servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Recipes from Paradise

By Fred Plotkin

Published 1997

About

Stuffed lettuce is a specialty of La Spezia. The stuffed lettuce rolls as presented here can be cooked in broth for 6 to 7 minutes and then served as a very nice soup. Or you may prepare this dish as an appetizer or main course, using tomatoes and basil. You should use a soft buttery lettuce such as Bibb or Boston.