Meatloaf loaf (polpettone) was a staple in our home growing up. Now my family has grown to love this easy and delicious one pan meal. Think of this dish as a large oversized meatball stuffed with mozzarella. It is surrounded by a tomato sauce with potatoes, onions and peas.
Meatloaf (Polpettone)
1.3 lbs ground. pork
½ lb.ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup tomato sauce, plus 1 ¾ cups (homemade or the canned version)
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
3 Tbsp. Plus 1 Tbsp. Chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. Garlic pepper
½ lb. low moisture mozzarella-sliced
2 onions sliced
6 potatoes peeled and sliced into small circles
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. Plus 1 Tbsp. Chopped parsley
14 x 9 glass shallow pan – Pyrex
Wax paper (2- 15” long strips)
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a bowl combine the pork, the beef, the eggs, grated cheese, 1 Tsp. salt, 1 Tsp. pepper, 3 Tbsp. parsley, and the garlic pepper. In a small bowl put the bread crumbs and add the ½ cup of tomato sauce. Mix well. Add it to the meat mixture. Using your hands combine the meat well.
A separate bowl put the potatoes, onions, ½ cup olive oil, 1 ¾ cups of tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp. Parsley, 1 Tsp. salt, 1 Tsp. Pepper.
Place the wax paper on the counter. Put the meat mixture on the wax paper. Using your hands spread it out into a half inch thick circle. Place the mozzarella down the middle of the circle. Using the wax paper fold the bottom half of the circle up over the mozzarella. Then using the top portion of wax paper fold the meat down over the mozzarella. Form into a log making sure there are no holes for the mozzarella ooze thru.
Coat a glass Pyrex pan with ¼ cup of olive oil. Place the meatloaf in the middle of the pan. Put the potato mixture around the perimeter of the meatloaf. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and cook for about another 30 minutes until the meat is cook thru and the meatloaf is golden brown.