Jovina cooks Italian: Meatloaf

Italian Style Meatloaf

This dinner can serve 8. Less and you have plenty of leftovers.  I add lots of vegetables to my meatloaf and, of course, lots of Italian flavors. Meatloaf freezes well and I usually cut extra slices off the loaf to freeze individually to use at a later date. Just defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

·         Half a sweet onion, finely chopped

·         1 celery rib, finely chopped

·         1 tablespoon minced garlic

·         1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

·         1/2 cup shredded carrot

·         1 1/2 teaspoons salt

·         1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

·         2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

·         2 cups tomato (marinara) sauce, divided

·         2 pounds lean ground beef (I use grass-fed beef)

·         1 cup Italian flavored dried bread crumbs

·         2 large eggs, beaten slightly

·         1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

·         1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, vegetables, bread crumbs, 1 cup of the tomato sauce, seasonings and parsley with your hands until thoroughly mixed.

Form into a loaf and put into a rectangular baking pan with 2-inch high sides.

Bake the meatloaf in the oven for 1 hour. Pour the remaining 1 cup of tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Return the dish to the oven just until the cheese melts.