Remember To Make Memories At The Table

Remember To Make Memories At The Table

Nonna used To Say...

Got Agita? It's Not What You Eat; It's What Eats You



Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

In my post, Meatloaf Made In America (Oct 17, 2010), I wrote about my Italian ancestors and their pride in living in America and becoming part of the American Culture. In as much as I love my  American Meatloaf with it's sweet and tangy flavor...let's not forget the bacon and cheese filling, my heart always returns to my mom's Italian Meatloaf. When I see a meatloaf with just ground beef a few spices and salt, I wonder...what is that? Plan on preparing this dish when you have cold cuts and a chunk of mozzarella cheese in the house. Mom always added one hard boiled egg to the stuffed center. It gives this meatloaf an added texture, a creaminess of sorts. The best meatloaf is made with a ground beef and pork combo, but if all you have is ground beef, that's fine. A tip: don't handle the ground meat too much...mix ingredients quickly, otherwise it will be dry and tough.

Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef/pork combo
6 slices of Genoa salami sliced thin
3 slices of ham  sliced thin
4-5 slices mozzarella  sliced thin
1 hard boiled egg sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
splash of milk

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X13" baking dish with Pam.

In a large bowl mix ground meat with egg, milk, salt and all spices. Mix well but quickly
Place meat mixture on a sheet of wax paper and flatten out. Place a layer of salami on meat mixture, then ham, then mozzarella cheese, and finally the sliced hard boiled egg. Bring sides up and to the center, then bring the ends up and to the center until filling is covered. Pat into a loaf shape. Transfer loaf into baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Cool just a bit and slice.  Serves 4

Leftovers make a great sandwich! I serve this with mashed sweet or white potatoes or roasted potatoes, a vegetable, and a salad. A tasty side is sauteed fennel/finocchio/anise. Absolutely delicious!
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Remember To Make Memories At The Table

10 comments:

  1. This meatloaf requires that you nap after dinner. That looks filling. Great tip on not over-handling the meat.

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  2. So you've made this meatloaf before ;) Filling it is! Thanks for your comment. Come back soon. N

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  3. I just made this...lovely and yummy, I used ground turkey, stuffed with the cheese and pepperoni, just took a little sample bite!! Great recipe, Thanks!
    Wendy

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  4. Wendy...hi there. So nice to read your comment. Cheese & pepperoni, sounds great! And turkey, very healthy. You go, girl. Hope you enjoy a big slice of it! Come back and visit. N
    You might like my American Meatloaf recipe, too

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  5. Only additional item I add is a little homemade marinara to the meet mixture. Great recipe bringing me back to Sunday dinner at Nana's.

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  6. This is the stuffed meatloaf recipe my Mom would make except she used provolone cheese instead of mozzarella and I don't think she used the ham, just the salami. I was just recently asked by a friend if I had Mom's recipe for the meatloaf and I don't think I have it written down....I think Mom and my Aunts just made it from memory from watching Grandma make it so I went searching the net for it and I found your site....gorgeous! This is Mom's recipe. We lost Mom 6 years ago today as a matter of fact but some wonderful memories come back to us when we remember these lovely recipes from Mom. Thanks Nanette for sharing! Jackie

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  7. This meatloaf was one of the staples for special occasions in my childhood. My Irish Mother learned how to make this mouth watering creation and she was NOT AN ADVENTUROUS COOK. It is not difficult to make, even less difficult to eat, and it became a memory that has lasted a lifetime for me. Thank you.

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  8. Glen...so many friends add marinara to their meatloaf. I guess my family was "red gravy" overloaded with sauce twice a week, so our other recipes tend to not have "gravy" in it. It is a nice change, though, and it would add a bit of zing to it. Thanks for your interest and comment. N

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  9. Jackie, ciao dear..your comment brought tears to my eyes. I'm touched that you could find a recipe close to the one of your mom's. Yes, salami is often used, but I often have ham in the refridge so I use that and its milder flavor is more suitable to my husband's taste. Shame on me, but provolone isn't a favorite of mine. Thank you for your kind comment on my blog site. If you need any other forgotten recipes, please, let me know. Wishing you the best. N

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  10. Rozspprozs: thanks for your comment. So happy this recipe brought back memories. And yes, this meatloaf isn't difficult to make and even easier to eat! Please stop by again. Looking forward to your comments. N

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