RECIPES

I don’t know what the fascination about roll-ups is, but while I was thinking about this recipe, I realized that in Italy we tend to roll everything up, from pasta to meat to frittata to crepes-like desserts. There are dozens of recipes calling for something rolled up and stuffed with something else. Maybe it is the luxury of combining very different ingredients and thus tastes and textures in one bite. Or maybe is the necessity – like it was probably the case for today’s suggestion- to make the meat last as long as possible (for economic reasons) and to complement it with other much more available and cheap ingredients.

Rolled-up food is intriguing, elegant, subtle, and an open field for the fantasy. You can prepare the filling of your choice, with all possible variations based on your pantry content, and the ahs and ohs will only multiply around the table.

Today’s recipe is very easy re inspiration, it just requires a few skills – that can be learned on the go. While the results are gorgeous and are apt for a festive table dressed up for a family reunion. Also, it is a fun and easy way to limit the intake of white meat while feeling completely satisfied. For the filling, I opted for a very Mediterranean one, with black olives, sundried tomatoes, walnuts.

My selection is not exclusively dictated by the taste of the final dish: sundried tomatoes are a wonderful source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C, fiber and protein. Olives have similar properties, and contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid linked to many health benefits. Walnuts, when used in small quantities, are a powerhouse in itself; they have the highest content of antioxidants and Omega-3 fat among the nuts, they nourish the healthy bacteria living in our guts, they support healthy aging, reducing inflammation in the brain. All this benefits in just 1 oz a day of walnuts.

So, this filling is in itself a recipe that makes healthy sailing through the holiday’s meals a breeze!