Italian Sunday Dinner: Stuffed Italian Meatloaf

ByHelloIm50ish

Ladies, I know that I skipped last week’s Sunday Italian dinner recipe but I didn’t have the heart to write at all. We have been dealing with Bruno’s health issues for the last couple of months and sadly we made the decision to put him to sleep before we left for Atlanta.

I will write about Bruno later because I know so many of you have experienced the loss of a pet. Losing a beloved pet is just as heartbreaking as losing a loved one. They were family and they gave us so much love unconditionally.

Today I am going to share a comfort food recipe from my grandmother-in-law made (tweaked by me) for stuffed Italian meatloaf. I think comfort food is just what I need after saying goodbye to Bruno.

I love to make Italian stuffed meatloaf for my family. It’s easy to make and goes well with pasta and sauce for our Sunday dinner. All you need to add is a salad. I am including my favorite recipe for Caesar salad.

 

Menu: Italian Stuffed Meatloaf with Spaghetti, Marinara Sauce, and Caesar Salad

stuffed Italian meatloaf

Stuffed Italian Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 lbs of hamburger OR 1 lb. ground pork, 1 LB. ground beef, 1 lb. ground veal (I use the trio, but you may not have veal in your area)
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup grated parmesan
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1⁄4cup ketchup
  • 1 tsp. Italian parsley
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 clove chopped garlic, to taste
  • 1⁄4 lb prosciutto or ham
  • 1⁄4lb provolone cheese
  • 1⁄4lb salami
  • 1⁄4lb mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
  • 1/2 toasted pignoli nuts ( pine nuts)
  • 1 cup pasta tomato sauce

beef, onions, eggs, cheese and bread crumbs in a glass bowl ready for mixing.

DIRECTIONS

  • preheat oven to 350.
  • mix meat, eggs, bread crumbs, parmesan, onion,  ketchup, and spices.
  • flatten half of the meat mixture in the pan.
  • top with a layer of prosciutto.
  • top ham with provolone.
  • layer with chopped mushrooms and roasted red peppers.
  • top provolone with salami.
  • top salami with mozzarella.
  • layer on toasted pignoli nuts if you like.
  • cover with remaining meat mixture and seal edges. (I roll my stuffed meatloaf)
  • bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Spaghetti and Marinara Sauce

This is the only sauce recipe that I use for homemade marinara. I became a tomato sauce snob when we visited Italy 20 years ago and learned that San Marzano tomatoes are the best for making sauce. San Marzano tomatoes only come from Italy.

plate of pasta with tomato sauce on dark table, top view

Marinara Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • 5-28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, certified D.O.P. if possible
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 7 garlic cloves, chopped (i use the whole head)
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 15 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into the can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
  2. In a deep pot over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
  3. As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add the red pepper flakes and salt. Stir.
  4. Add chopped basil at the end.
  5. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15-30 minutes.

Caesar Salad

Fresh organic caesar salad with grated asiago cheese

  • 1 large or 2 small heads of romaine lettuce
  • Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved
  • Crisp croutons – homemade can be made several days ahead. The recipe below makes enough for 2 salads.
  • Caesar salad dressing – homemade is best or you can use store-bought dressing in a pinch.

How to Make Croutons:

Homemade french croutons in white bowl close up

The crunchy homemade garlic croutons really elevate this salad, making it look and taste quite fancy. The cheese crusted onto each little toast will have you snacking on these croutons!

  • Cut a baguette in half lengthwise and slice it into 1/4″ thick pieces and place it on a baking sheet.
  • Combine 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil with minced garlic. toss pieces of bread with garlic-infused oil and 2 Tbsp parmesan.
  • Spread Evenly and Bake to desired crispness.

Mangia!

Thank you for stopping by today.

 

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4 Comments

  1. These recipes look SO good! Just to be sure – you only simmer your marinara for 15 minutes?

    Reply
    1. HelloIm50ish says:

      Anne,
      Yes, you should only simmer your sauce for a short time.
      I used to simmer it for an hour until we went to Italy. I asked many of the chefs how long they simmered their sauce and most said 15 minutes.
      You only need to simmer the sauce until the olive oil rises to the top.
      It tastes fresher the shorter you simmer the sauce.
      I know many people simmer their sauces a lot longer but you need to constantly stir the sauce so that it doesn’t burn.
      How long do you simmer your sauce?

      Reply

      1. I simmer it all afternoon! But there’s a lot of meat in my sauce (chuck and meatballs).
        One more question – do you cook the meatloaf on a cookie sheet or in a meatloaf pan?

      2. HelloIm50ish says:

        Anne,
        I use a meatloaf pan for my meatloaf.

        Yes, I agree with you when you have a lot of meat in your sauce it needs a longer cook time.