Lettuce Soup (Zuppa di Lattuga)

Ingredients

• 1 small head Lettuce (Romaine or butter lettuce works well)
• 2 tablespoons Peas (Fresh or frozen)
• 6 cups Meat stock (Beef or chicken stock)
• 2 medium Potatoes (Peeled and diced)
• 1 heaping tablespoon Flour (All-purpose flour)
• 0.25 cup Celery leaves (From a head of celery)
• 2 slices Bread (For frying)
• 2 tablespoons Oil (For frying bread)

Instructions

1. 1Peel and dice the potatoes into small cubes.
2. 2Bring the meat stock to a boil in a large pot.
3. 3Add the diced potatoes and celery leaves to the boiling stock.
4. 4Chop the lettuce into small pieces. Add the chopped lettuce and peas to the pot.
5. 5In a small bowl, mix the flour with a little cold stock or water to form a smooth paste. Add the flour mixture to the soup, stirring well to avoid lumps.
6. 6Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. 7While the soup simmers, cut the bread into small squares. Heat oil in a pan and fry the bread squares until golden brown and crispy.
8. 8Serve the soup hot with the fried bread squares.