Meatball Meat Loaves With Spinach Parm Mashers Food

MEATBALL PARM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Make the meatballs: Preheat the broiler. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, pecorino, parsley, garlic and some salt and pepper until it is all incorporated. Add the ground meats and breadcrumbs and, using your God-given hands, get after it and mix away. Do not overwork the meat or it will turn meatloaf-y. You want it loose and supple.
• Using your hands again, make 6 loose patties to match the size of your bread. Heat some oil in a large heavy-bottomed cast-iron pan (or use a griddle pan) over medium heat. In batches, fry the patties until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• For the sandwich build: Toast the split buns under the broiler, about 3 minutes. Spoon 3 tablespoons of sauce on top of each patty and top with a few slices of mozzarella. Place the patties under the broiler until melted and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Place the patties on the buns and top with giardiniera and roasted red peppers. Cut in half and serve with the remaining marinara sauce on the side.

FLORENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Wring defrosted spinach dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place turkey in a bowl and make a well in the middle of it. Add the spinach, all but 3 tablespoons of the onion, all of the garlic, 1 large egg, about 1/4 cup milk, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form into 12 large balls and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
• While balls are in the oven, heat a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Melt butter, add remaining finely chopped onion and cook 2 minutes then whisk in flour. Cook flour 1 minute, then whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup stock. Bring liquid up to a boil then stir in shredded provolone or blended Italian cheeses. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, turn heat to lowest setting.
• Place 3 balls on dinner plates and top with sauce, garnish with parsley.

ITALIAN MINI MEAT LOAVES WITH MAC AND THREE CHEESES

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place meat in a bowl. Make a well in meat. Fill well with egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup cheese, peppers, onions, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Mix meat and breading and form 4 individual oval meat loaves, 1-inch thick. Coat loaves with extra-virgin olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast 18 to 20 minutes.
• When the pasta water boils, salt water and add pasta. Cook until slightly undercooked ? pasta will continue to cook when combined with cheese sauce.
• Melt butter in a saucepan and add flour. Whisk in milk. Bring to a bubble. Thicken milk, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheeses: Cheddar, asiago, 1/2 cup Parmesan and black pepper. Stir to melt cheeses. Drain pasta and combine with melted cheese sauce and transfer to a flameproof baking dish or casserole. Place bread crumbs in a bowl and add extra-virgin olive oil and herbs to bread crumbs. Top pasta with bread crumbs. Place under a broiler and brown bread crumbs. Serve cheese and pasta alongside meat loaf.

MEATBALL MEATLOAVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, add the bread and the milk and let soak for a few minutes then wring out the moisture. In another large mixing bowl add the meat and the soaked bread. Add the egg, salt and pepper, to taste, the garlic, parsley, cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Mix to combine and form into 4 mini oval loaves, about 2-inches thick.
• Arrange the loaves on a medium nonstick baking sheet and drizzle the tops with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Roast in oven for 20 minutes.
• While meat is roasting, put a medium skillet or sauce pot on the stove over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the peppers and the onions, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute more. Whisk in the stock and Worcestershire, and season again with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat and let simmer until ready to serve.
• Remove the meatloaves from the oven to a serving platter and serve with lots of chunky pepper and onion gravy on top.

CHEESE-STUFFED MINI MEAT LOAVES

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, stir bread crumbs and 1 cup of the cooking sauce until well mixed; let stand 5 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, cut twelve 1/2-inch pieces from cheese sticks (store remaining portion of cheese stick for another use). Set aside. Add beef, egg, green onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to bread crumb mixture until well mixed.
• 3. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. Divide beef mixture evenly among cups (cups will be very full). Push 1 piece of cheese into center of each loaf. Place muffin pan on cookie sheet to catch any spillover. Bake about 30 minutes or until thermometer inserted in center of loaves in middle of muffin pan reads 160 degrees F (outer loaves will be done sooner).
• 4. Meanwhile, heat remaining sauce until hot. Immediately remove loaves from muffin pan; spoon heated sauce over loaves.
• *Regular mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, can be substituted.

THE BEST MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

CHEF JOHN'S MEATBALL-INSPIRED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt in hot oil and butter until onion is golden brown and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and cool onion mixture to room temperature.
• Place bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add milk and stir with a fork until combined. Let sit until all of the milk is absorbed into the breadcrumbs, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Combine ground chuck, cooled onion mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Grab a handful of breadcrumbs and squeeze very gently to remove excess milk. Repeat with remaining breadcrumbs, transfer breadcrumbs to ground chuck mixture, and discard excess milk. Stir ground chuck mixture until evenly combined.
• Turn chuck mixture out into prepared baking dish, and shape meat into a 3x4x10-inch meatloaf. Pour tomato sauce over the loaf and into the bottom of the dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.