Ricotta Stuffed Meatloaf Recipes

RICOTTA-STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, ground beef, TWO of the eggs, the breadcrumbs, garlic, oregano and tomato paste together.
• The best way to do this is with your hands, so if the meats are brought almost to room temp, it will be easier and not quite such a shock to tender fingers. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed together evenly; set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley and remaining egg. If the mix seems a little runny, add a little extra Parmesan. Set aside.
• In a large roasting pan, place one half of the meat mixture and form into a rectangle, with the center a little lower than the sides.
• Spoon all of the ricotta mixture in the center of the meat loaf, leaving at least one inch all the way around.
• Carefully place the rest of the meatloaf mix around and over the top of the ricotta. The easiest way to do this so that the ricotta doesn't "escape" is to start from the sides and the ends and work inward. Smooth and shape the loaf gently and top with mozzarella cheese. An alternate to shredded cheese is to lay thin slices in a decorative pattern down the center.
• Bake uncovered for 60-75 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.
• Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual servings.
• Delicious with oven-roasted potatoes and a tomato-basil salad. Buon Appetito!

STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the Parmesan and bread crumbs. Mix in the beef, pork, and veal. Pack half of the meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. Spoon the stuffing over the meat in the pan, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Top with the remaining meat mixture, enclosing the stuffing completely and pressing firmly. Spoon the marinara sauce over the meatloaf, then sprinkle with the provolone cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, until the meat loaf is firm to the touch in the center and has pulled away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices and serve.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander, and drain; return potatoes to pan.
• Mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher until light and fluffy. Add butter, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper; stir until combined, and set aside.
• Combine ground beef, onion, mustard, egg, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Place half the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet, and form into an 11-by-6-inch loaf. Place 1 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes on top of meat mixture, leaving a 1-inch border. Place the remaining meat mixture on top; form into a loaf, encasing the potato mixture. Bake 30 minutes, then brush remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup over meat loaf. Continue baking meat loaf until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes more. Serve immediately.

MEATLOAF WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• oasting pan 10 by 17 inches or larger oven to 375º. Pour the milk over the bread cubes in a bowl, and let soak for a few minutes, until the bread is saturated. Squeeze the soft bread a handful at a time, pressing out as much milk as you can (discard milk, or give it to a pet), then tear bread into small shreds and toss back into the bowl. Crumble the ground beef into the bowl, and add the eggs, ricotta, scallions, grated cheese, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Fold and toss everything together, and squeeze the mixture a few times between your fingers to distribute all the ingredients evenly. Scatter the mozzarella cubes on top, and fold and mush them throughout the loaf mix. Brush the roasting pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Gather the meat mixture in the bowl, turn it into the pan, and shape it into a fat oval loaf. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover the pan with foil-tent it so it doesn't touch the meat-and bake 45 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the meatloaf is browned all over and completely cooked through, another 1 hour and 30 minutes or so. (If you check the loaf with a meat thermometer, it should reach a temperature of 160º.) Remove the roast from the oven, and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Heat the tomato sauce to a simmer in a saucepan as the meat rests. Turn off the heat, and, if you like, stir ½ cup or so fresh ricotta into the sauce. Cut the loaf crosswise in the pan or on a cutting board, in slices as thick as you like. Serve on warm dinner plates, topped with a spoonful or two of sauce, and pass more sauce at the table (or, for family- style serving, arrange the slices on a warm platter, topped with some of the sauce). To accompany this meatloaf, I love braised broccoli rabe (broccoli di rape) or escarole, served on a separate plate or platter. Note: If you love fresh ricotta, as I do, you can stir some into the tomato sauce, too, just before serving the meatloaf.

ITALIAN MOZZARELLA-STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix beef, onion, 1/2 of the tomato sauce, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Pat into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle on a sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
• Lift up the short side of the waxed paper to start rolling up the meatloaf. Roll tightly, peeling back paper as you go. Seal edges in place. Transfer meatloaf to a loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Combine remaining tomato sauce and 1/2 teaspoon oregano; pour over meatloaf and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN CHEESE-STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper, garlic and 1/2 cup of the pizza sauce until well combined.
• On large sheet of foil, shape beef mixture into 12x10-inch rectangle. Top evenly with provolone cheese, roasted peppers and olives to within 1/2 inch of edges. Starting with one 10-inch side, roll up; press seam to seal. Place seam side down in pan.
• Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon remaining pizza sauce over loaf. Insert meat thermometer so bulb reaches center of loaf.
• Return to oven; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until loaf is thoroughly cooked in center and thermometer reads 160°F. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.