Stuffed Meat Loaf

[Mama Mangia]

STUFFED MEAT LOAF

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 small onion minced
1 TB olive oil
8 oz. ground pork
8 oz. ground veal
8 oz. ground beef
1/4 cup freshly grated Locatelli or Parmesan
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup tomato sauce (8 oz. can)
2 TB minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 lg slices salami (or more to taste)
3-5 hard-cooked eggs halved lengthwise
2-3 lg slices provolone (or more to taste)
2-3 slices ham (or more to taste)
1/2 cup ketchup diluted with 1/4 cup water
Bread crumbs, as needed


Preheat the oven to 350* F.

In large bowl, soak bread crumbs in milk until softened.

In small skillet set over moderate heat, cook onion in oil, stirring, until softened. Transfer to the bowl. Add meat, grated cheese, egg, tomato sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper, and gently mix to combine.

In an oiled baking dish, arrange half the meat, patting it down into a flattened loaf shape (a 6" x 9" rectangle worked well in a pizza pan).

Arrange enough of the salami over the meat to cover it completely, add a row of egg halves down the center (or vary positions to your decorative taste) and cover with a layer of the provolone and ham, pressing around eggs gently to fit closely.

Top with the remaining ground meat, forming the mixture into a loaf. (Seal the sides of the meatloaf together so that the cheese does not leak out.)

Pour the ketchup mixture over the loaf and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake for 1 hour, covered with foil. Remove the cover and bake for 30 minutes more. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.