Italian Meatloaf

Marriage.  It's trying to figure out how to work in the kitchen while my spouse perpetually standing in front of the kitchen drawer that I need to get into.  It's answering questions like "Do we have milk" while this same spouse literal stands in front of the open refrigerator. 🥛 It's trying to find places in the pantry for all the extra goodies that get tossed into the cart when he accompanies me to the grocery store. 🍪 It's making meatloaf for a partner who loves meat even though I never even take a bite.  

How can I recommend meatloaf a recipe that I've never even tasted, you ask?  Another advantage of being married.  I have a family who's honest, sometimes brutally honest, about the meals that I prepare.  Oh, they're super polite and they've learned that it's not in their best interest to critique their dinner (or the person who prepared it), but I can tell a lot by the amount and veracity with with they attack their meal.  ​

I can tell you that this Italian meatloaf comes with the highest praise from my family.  They gave it their stamp of approval by finishing up every bite on their plates and then going in for seconds.  There's really no better testament for a well received dinner than that.

Italian Meatloaf
Sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
15 ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt

Meatloaf
35 square saltines, crushed
3/4 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
​3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Heat oil in skillet.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper flakes and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. 

Whisk together saltines, milk and eggs. Let sit 5 minutes. 

Add beef, sausage, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

Shape into 3 loaves, 1 1/2" high rectangle.  Place in greased 9X13" pan. 

Pour sauce over meatloaf.

Cover dish with foil and bake 1 - 1 1/4 hours at 350.

Remove from oven.  Uncover and sprinkle with fontina.  

Place under broiler for 2 minutes.  Let rest 15 minutes.  

Slice into 1" pieces. 

Transfer slices back to sauce in dish and sprinkle with basil to serve.  

When there's a polar vortex headed in your direction, just in time for the weekend - you need some good old fashioned Italian meatloaf in your life.  Comfort food at its finest.  

Ciao!

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