Italian Meatloaf

We are gearing up for our third major snowstorm of this winter season. Its been years since we've had this much snow but I don't mind at all.......good excuse to get some comfort food cooking done.

This recipe for Italian meatloaf is from Michael Chiarello. It's a bit more involved than the everyday meatloaf but so worth the effort. It's a very moist meatloaf which we love. I have substituted ground turkey when making his recipe, but tonight used ground sirloin. Tomorrow will most likely be a snow day so this will be great as leftovers on Amoroso's Italian rolls with perhaps some melted provolone - yum!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded, small diced
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons (about 3 cloves) chopped garlic
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until just soft, remove to a plate and cool.

When the peppers and onions are cool, combine all of the remaining ingredients together except for the marinara. Pack the meat mixture into an oiled loaf pan, if you do not have a loaf pan, form the meat mixture into a loaf shape on an oiled oven tray or baking dish. Top with the marinara making sure to spread evenly over the top.

Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the middle of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Ready to go in oven:

Resting for a few minutes prior to serving:

Ready to eat: