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After

When one mentions meatloaf, most people consider the classic American dish of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy. My question is where do Italians fare in one of the ultimate favourite comfort foods, in the mastering of meatloaf?

So if the cook is Italian, namely me, a Calabrese woman from southern Italy, does that make my meatloaf “Italian Meatloaf?” Or is it Italian meatloaf because I use Italian ingredients like, crushed tomatoes, Italian flat leaf parsley and oregano?

There is speculation that it’s just a superior loaf shaped meatball and that Italian immigrants just took their traditional meatball recipes, and instead of rolling out thirty to sixty individual meatballs, Italians basically fashioned it into a loaf of Italian bread, topped it with their homemade tomato sauce and baked it in the oven. I can see this as to be true, as back in the day Italian mothers out there were very inventive in their cooking and stretching the budget and meals for their families of seven or eight and or sometimes ten. When Italians make meatballs they add eggs and breadcrumbs. So would this translate well into the making of their meatloaf? Mama mia! No wonder Italian meatloaf came to fruition!

The debate and deliberation among cooks is in their attitude that there is a right way and a wrong way to make meatloaf and that their recipe is the best, better than all the rest.

The first and foremost component is the “meat.” Does one use only beef or a combination of meats like beef and pork or beef, pork and veal hence the Italian connection to the meatballs? I like to use ground veal and ground pork when I make my meatloaf. In my opinion, I find that this combination makes for a tastier meatloaf.

I do not use eggs in my recipe, but those who favour eggs in their meatloaf say that it helps bind the meat and adds fullness. Is meatloaf not considered “real” meatloaf because one uses breadcrumbs? Many claim that this is a culinary conflict as breadcrumbs are considered filler therefore it should not be called meatloaf! It’s just meatloaf people, call the MP - Meatloaf Patrol, you have been under surveillance and committed meatloaf mockery!

Then you have the debate whether to top or glaze your meatloaf. To glaze or not to glaze that is question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to glaze my meatloaf or to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous dry meatloaf fortune? Would William Shakespeare have approved to glaze or not to glaze? There are many variations of toppings or glaze including the Italian version of tomato sauce, barbeque sauce, mushroom gravy and ketchup. If you choose to glaze or top your meatloaf, then that’s entirely up to you. That goes the same to the addition of eggs or breadcrumbs debate, some cooks will try to convince you otherwise and yes there are many wonderful recipes out there for the model meatloaf. My Mangialicious Meatloaf alla Rizzuti is a delicious and economical dish, give it a try! You will say it’s Mangialicious Meatloaf!