Oven-baked Stuffed Meatloaf

17/11/2023

The oven-baked stuffed meatloaf is a classic, rich, and tasty dish, perfect for a family meal.

Ingredients

800 g of ground meat (mixed veal and pork)
2 eggs
100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
50 g of stale bread
100 ml of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg to taste
100 g of cooked ham slices
100 g of cheese (such as scamorza, provola, or other melting cheese) in slices
Breadcrumbs to taste
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Herbs as desired, like chopped parsley

Preparation

Begin by soaking the stale bread in milk to soften it.
In a large bowl, mix the ground meat with eggs, Parmesan cheese, squeezed-out bread, salt, pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. Also add in herbs like parsley if you wish.
Knead everything together until the ingredients are well combined.
Lay out the meat mixture on a lightly floured surface or on a sheet of baking paper, shaping it into a rectangular form with a uniform thickness of about 1 cm.
Place the slices of cooked ham on the rectangle of meat and then the slices of cheese, leaving a margin free on the edges to facilitate closure.
Carefully roll up the meatloaf starting from the longer side nearest to you, sealing the ends well to prevent the filling from coming out during cooking.
If you wish, you can roll the meatloaf in breadcrumbs, which will give it a crispy crust.
Transfer the meatloaf onto an oiled baking tray, and drizzle the surface with a bit of oil.
Bake the meatloaf in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 1 hour, checking occasionally and turning it so that it browns evenly.
Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing the meatloaf to prevent the cheese from oozing out too much.

Trivia

The meatloaf is a very versatile dish that can be customized according to personal tastes. You can add vegetables such as spinach or carrots to the base ingredients, or change the filling, using for example sautéed spinach and ricotta for a lighter variant. Moreover, once cooked, the meatloaf can be served with a tomato sauce or a wine sauce to enrich it further.

For an Italian-style accompaniment, you could serve the meatloaf with rosemary-flavored roasted potatoes or a fresh seasonal salad. Enjoy your meal!