You may notice this is the first (and only) meatloaf recipe on here. I’m not a huge fan. But this meatloaf has changed my mind! My friend Missy sent me this recipe in an email titled “best meatloaf ever!” And I gotta hand it to her–she may be right. Next time you’re making a spaghetti dinner, serve this meatloaf instead of meatballs and see if you agree.
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash (or two) Tabasco
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Directions:
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a loaf pan with Pam cooking spray and set aside.
- In small bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, pepper, minced onion and parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, break up beef and make a well in the center.
- Break egg into well.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to egg.
- With a fork, quickly beat egg and sauces together in the well.
- Using your hands, mix eggs and meat together until well combined. (Wash hands!)
- Add breadcrumb mixture into meat mixture, and stir until well incorporated.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella and Italian herbs. Set aside.
- Divide meat mixture into 2 equal parts.
- Press 1/2 of meat mixture into bottom of loaf pan.
- Pressing down with fingers, create a shallow “ditch” down the middle of meat mixture.
- Spread ricotta mixture into ditch, leaving 1-1/2 inch border of meat all around.
- Press second 1/2 of meat mixture into loaf pan, pushing down around edges to seal in filling.
- Bake un-covered 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spread tomato sauce on top of meatloaf.
- Return to oven and bake additional 15 minutes.
- Cool 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
