Winter is starting to move on here in central Massachusetts. The daylight hours grow longer as we roll steadily toward the spring equinox. Tis’ the season for cooking! A lovely comfort food is meatloaf. Today, enjoy a traditional budget saver with an Italian twist.
Vi piace un po’ di sapore della Sicilia. Enjoy a little taste of Sicily adding a dash of fennel and Nero d’Avola wine.
Italian Meat Loaf
2 1/ lbs. lean ground beef
1 lb pork sausage
2 cloves of garlic
*1 small finely diced shallot
*1 medium shredded carrots
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
*dash of fennel seeds
*1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
*1/4 to 1/2 cup of bread crumbs or 1/2 cup cooked white rice
*1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup crushed tomato
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 ounces Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
dashes of cumin, rosemary, fresh cracked black pepper and/or red pepper flakes
Serves six adults
Cooking Tips
I recommend a fine shred for the aromatics of garlic, shallot, and carrot. The reader may substitute onion for a stronger taste. The parmesan cheese is improvisation as are other items on the list with this asterisk symbol * before the ingredient.
All the ingredients should be at room temperature when this dish is being prepared for cooking. Put everything out on the kitchen counter at least a 1/2 hour before preparation.
A cooking tip I brought back from Sicily is to finely grind the spices and herbs together in a mortar and pestle. No one flavor dominates a Sicilian dish, there is a blend of several subtle flavors well minced together. Saute the aromatics first, allowing them to cool completely, before blending all the ingredients together.
Place in a meatloaf or bread size pan brushed with olive oil. Cook in the oven at 375 F for about 60 minutes. After cooking, let the meatloaf rest outside the oven for about 1/2 hour. Any cooking oils or liquids will be reabsorbed into the dish making it extra scrumptious.
I used Stemmari Wine 2015 Nero d’Avola variety in the recipe. The reader should be certain the wine is dry red. Serve this dish with fresh Italian bread, green beans and a glass of this Sicilian wine for a lovely mid-winter evening meal.
Si Mangia Bene e Vive Bene! Buon Appetito!
LuceStellare 