Italian Meatloaf

This delicious meatloaf uses crushed saltines, milk and eggs for a binder and baked in a simple tomato sauce with lots of garlic. America’s Test Kitchen removed the cooked meatloaf from the pan, sliced it and then returned to the pan in the sauce. I skipped that step. It was just as good to slice in the pan and avoid extra cleanup! I paired mine with a simple Caesar salad. Serves 6-7.

Recipe

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 T. olive oil
(1) 15-oz. can tomato sauce
(1) 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
35 saltine crackers, crushed (1 sleeve minus 1 cracker)
3/4 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. granulated garlic
2 oz. (1 c.) grated parmesan on rasp grater (microplane)
1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 c. fontina cheese, shredded on large holes of grater
3 T. fresh basil, coarsely chopped

For the Sauce: Heat 1 T. olive oil In a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and starting to lightly brown around the edges. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Take off the heat.

For the Meatloaf: Crush the saltine crackers in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Add to a large bowl. Add the milk and eggs and stir to an even consistency and let sit 5 minutes. Whisk to break up any lumps and add the oregano, granulated garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and the finely grated parmesan. Whisk together until well mixed.

Add the ground beef and sausage in chunks to make it easier to mix. Use your hands to mix well. Put in a 9x13” casserole dish sprayed with vegetable oil. Lightly wet your hands and shape into a 9x5” meatloaf. Pour the sauce over and around the meatloaf. Cover tightly with foil and put on a rimmed baking sheet (just in case there are drips).

Bake at 450-degrees for 1 hr. 10 min. until the meatloaf registers 160-degrees. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top of the meatloaf with the shredded fontina cheese. Put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Let sit at least 15 minutes to firm up before slicing. Makes 7 slices about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and serve.