Grandma Pitalo’s Meatloaf
Submitted by: Nanci Keatley / Salem, Oregon
Who passed this recipe down to you? My paternal grandmother, Frances Pitalo
Recipe origin: United States
How old is this recipe? At least 79 years old (that’s how old my dad is ;-)
The story behind the recipe:
My grandpa was a butcher, and so grandma would have a lot of opportunities to make delicious meaty dishes. It is one of her iconic "American" recipes that came down to me via the cookbook she hand wrote for my 21st birthday. It's one of my kids’ favorites as well since they grew up eating it at least every other month if not more. Since it's a nostalgic dish, we make it for family gatherings, although I have made it for a lot of other occasions because it's just so tasty!
Ingredients:
2 slices bread (I like to use sourdough & gluten free works well too)
1/2 cup of milk (you can use non-dairy milk)
1 lb. ground beef
2 lb. ground pork
1 small white onion, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup Romano cheese, shredded finely
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
1 cup catsup, separated into 2- 1/2 cups (either homemade or store bought)
1/4 cup tomato jam (again, either homemade or store bought)
How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Cut crust off bread; place in small bowl and cover with milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, add all other ingredients except for 1/2 cup catsup and the tomato jam.
4. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and break up into meat mixture.
5. Mix everything together—use your hands.
6. Make mixture into a large loaf shape and put into casserole—a 9" x 13" baking dish lined with foil works great.
7. Bake for 1 hour. Mix together remaining catsup and tomato jam.
8. Remove meatloaf from oven and spoon catsup/jam mixture on top of loaf. Put back in oven and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.
9. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
This is amazing with roasted potatoes & Grandma says to serve it with "combination salad and dessert." I think it's even better the next day & makes the most delicious meatloaf sandwich!!
