Neapolitan cuisine (from Naples in Italy) is well know for
for the simplicity of its ingredients which at the same time are
nutritious. Good cuts of meat are not part of this cuisine but poor cuts
frequently appear.
KEY POINTS
Preparation:
Cooking Time:
How Difficult
Easy
Freeze?
Yes
Servings
4 to 6
COOK'S NOTES ON NEAPOLITAN MEAT LOAF True Neapolitan cuisine uses cheap but nutritious ingredients.
Although meat is not often used, when it is the cheaper cuts of meat are
the most authentic. Experiment with the meat used, from all beef, half
veal and half beef, minced offal, they all make a good Neapolitan meat
loaf.
If you have no stale bread then take two slices of fresh bread before
doing anything else and very lightly toast it for 30 seconds. Break it
into small pieces and leave to one side whilst preparing the other
ingredients. It will very quickly harden to "stale" bread.
Our recipe uses a meat loaf or bread tin (see pictures below). This helps
to keep the meat loaf in a nice oblong shape. Bit if you don't have a
meatloaf tin then simply place the meatloaf mixture onto a baking tray
lined with baking paper. The meat loaf will give off a lot of liquid
during cooking so be sure to use a baking tray which is a couple of
centimetres deep to catch the liquid.
This recipe uses six hard boiled eggs but it can also be cooked with four
hard boiled eggs. If using six eggs then we top and tail the eggs so
that some of the just white portion is removed. Doing it this way means
that almost every slice will have a portion of the hard boiled yolk in
it! It looks good that way and saves arguments about who gets the
portions with the hard boiled yolk in it.
Meat loaf can be frozen either uncooked or cooked. Just make sure that
cooked meatloaf is completely cool before freezing it.
This recipe is delicious served hot or cold. If served hot the flavour is
enhanced by smothering it in a very simple tomato sauce. It is delicious
served cold with a salad or on a piece of toast.
Cold Neapolitan meat loaf can be spiced up with a spicy salsa and also makes
an ideal tapa when cubed and served on a cocktail stick. It will keep
in a good fridge (cooked) for three or four days. But take it out of the fridge
for half an hour before serving to bring it to room temperature; serving
at room temperature greatly improves the flavour.
We also have another meatloaf recipe
which you might like try, it can be found by clicking here.
Stale bread without crust (see
cook's notes above)
Two slices
Milk
Half a glass
Fresh parsley chopped
Three tablespoons (half if using dried)
Raw medium eggs
Two
Hard boiled medium eggs
Six (see cook's notes above)
Streaky bacon
Six slices
Olive oil
One tablespoon
Fresh chopped basil
One tablespoon or ½ tablespoon dried
Fresh chopped oregano
One tablespoon or ½ tablespoon dried
Salt and pepper
To taste
WHAT SPECIAL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT? Optional meat loaf tray, see recipe instructions if you don't have
one.
Baking paper to line the meatloaf or baking tray.
CLICK ANY PICTURE ON
THIS PAGE TO ENLARGE IT
PREPARATION
For the hard boiled eggs, cook them in boiling water for ten minutes
then remove the shells. Plunging the cooked eggs into very cold water
for a minute or so will make it easier to shell them.
Top and tail some of the "white" from each hard boiled egg when they
have cooled. See cook's notes above for our comments.
Line the baking tray with oven proof paper.
Finely chop the celery and sweet red pepper (de-seed first). Finely chop the parsley. Finely chop the fresh basil and oregano. Grate the parmesan cheese. Break up the stale bread into small pieces. Soak in milk for 15
seconds. Lightly break up the raw eggs. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.
METHOD FOR
NEAPOLITAN MEAT LOAF
Place the minced beef, minced pork, sweet pepper, celery, parsley, Parmesan
cheese and raw eggs into a large bowl and mix together for a few minutes until
all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Add the bread pieces, olive oil, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and mix again with your
hands for a further minute or so.
Place about 3cm / 1in of the meat loaf mixture into the meat loaf tin / baking tray and
then add the hard boiled eggs on top in a row.
Fill around the edges with the meat loaf
mixture and then place the remainder evenly on the top. Gently firm it all down.
Place in the pre-heated oven for one hour
Remove the Neapolitan meatloaf from the oven and carefully pour away any of the
fat.
Place the rashers of streaky bacon evenly on top of the meatloaf and place
back in the oven at the same temperature for 30 minutes. The bacon will stop the
top of the meatloaf from drying out.
Take the meatloaf from the oven and again carefully drain off any remaining fat.
Place under a hot grill for a minute or so until the streaky bacon has crisped
up.
Leave it stand for 15 minutes. If you want to eat it cool then
leave it to stand for an hour. It can be kept in the fridge for a day or so but
take it from the fridge and keep at room temperature for 30 minutes before
serving.
