What's for Dinner Tonight - Polpettone Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

From Claudia Lamascolo, this stuffed meatloaf called Polpettone is the gourmet version Italian style meatloaf. This version comes from the region of Bari, Italy, and is her mother's recipe which is stuffed with hard boiled eggs. I used a mix of ground beef and ground sweet Italian sausage, prosciutto in place of the Capicola, and did not use the spinach. I asked the Italian in my house if it was as good as his mother's, and he said it was actually better. Couldn't ask for a better compliment than that!!

Polpettone Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

4 or 5 hard boiled eggs, or enough to place across the size of your meat mixture spread out

1 - 10 ounce bag of fresh or frozen spinach sauteed in olive oil or boiled escarole drained and seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh garlic (1 minced clove)

grated Romano cheese

6-7 slices of Hot or Sweet Capicola (or use prosciutto, soppressata)

Slices of mozzarella or provolone

1-1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef

4 slices of day old bread, crust cut off, soaked in water then squeezed out of the bread

1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

2 large eggs

12 ounce can of tomato sauce

3 to 4 thin slices of pancetta or bacon

Optional: sliced mushrooms and bell peppers

1/2 cup red wine like Merlot or Cabernet

Tools needed to roll out: wax paper, baking pan sprayed with oil (a 13 x 9 pan about 2-1/2 inches deep)

Garnish: parsley, grated chees and granulated garlic

1. Mix the ground beef, eggs, squeezed bread, 2 eggs, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste, garlic, and parsley in a large mixing bowl.

2. Spread meat mixture out into a 2 inch thick rectangle or circle on wax paper.

3. Spread spinach or escarole in the middle from end to end. Next put the ham, then cheese slices and eggs on top. 

4. Sprinkle it all with grated cheese and parsley (and granulated garlic if you want for more flavor).

5. Top with the rest of the meat rolling it up and sealing sides until you cover all open spots. Place on baking pan.

6. Pour sauce on top (around 1/2 cup)  and sprinkle with more grated cheese and fresh parsley. Put red wine on the bottom of the pan.

7. Lay pancetta over the top.

8. Bake at 350 degrees F until browned; around 1 hour depending on how thick and big it is.

9. Use more sauce if it starts to dry out while baking or more wine.

Mangiare e godere!!