Zucchini wraps with arugula, tomatoes and red onions

Today was one of the hottest days of the year in Rome. Temperatures were as high as 37° C (about 99°F), but it felt like 41°C (105°F)!!

At lunch break, my husband picked me up at work and took me to lunch. Unfortunately, he rides a scooter so you can imagine the “natural AC” we got at 100°F!! Not to mention I roasted my rear end since the scooter seat was utterly hot!! I was literally melting! So my advice to anyone planning to come to Rome is: “DO NOT COME TO ROME IN AUGUST PLEASE!!!”

The following recipe needs no roasting (hopefully!), no baking, no grilling, and no heat at all!! It could be served as an appetizer or as a vegetarian main course.

Zucchini wraps with arugula, tomatoes and red onions

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 heirloom tomato
• 1/2 red onion
• some arugula leaves
• 150 grams of soft goat cheese
• 1 -2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Slice onions thinly.

Using a potato peeler, slice zucchini very thinly and lengthwise. Slice tomatoes.

This is rughetta, which is a type of rucola very common in Rome. Rughetta in Italian means “little arugula” since the leaves are thinner and smaller.

Marinate zucchini with lemon juice for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

You can use any type of soft goat cheese. I used robiola.

Using a small round pasta cutter, shape goat cheese into rounds.

Carefully wrap each cheese round with zucchini slices (I used four slices). When you are done with one cheese round, place another round on top and continue wrapping. In this case you can stop at two wraps, but I continued with a third cheese round.

On a plate, place tomatoes slices, and add salt and pepper. Place onions slices and arugula on top. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully place zucchini-cheese wraps.

Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and black pepper.

Serves 1