Here's a meatloaf recipe from Artusi. The fresh meat he calls for is raw as opposed to leftover roasted or boiled meat; in the days before refrigeration (he was writing in 1890) it was common practice to grind up leftover meat before it spoiled and make meatballs or meatloaf. This meatloaf made with raw ground meat is a little more elegant, and could have been served to a family friend as well -- in other words, a guest one didn't need to impress.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- Lean boned veal (see bleow for amounts)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Spices
- Flour
- Onion
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
Preparation:
Take a pound of lean boned veal, remove any gristle it may have with a straight knife, and mince it and a slice of prosciutto with a lunetta (a knife shaped like a half-moon; use a grinder if need be). Lightly season the meat with salt, pepper, and ground spices (Artusi's ground spice recipe makes a jar; a healthy pinch of allspice will work as a substitute), and knead in a raw egg. Moistening your hands, shape the meat into a loaf and flour it.
Mince a little onion (a walnut's worth), as well as equivalent volumes of parsley, celery, and carrot, and sauté the mixture in a tablespoon of butter. When the onion has lightly browned, add the meatloaf. Brown the loaf on all sides and add a half cup of water into which you've stirred a half tablespoon of flour. Cover the pot and simmer over a very low flame, being careful not to let the meatloaf burn. Serve it, surrounded by its rich gravy, and with a lemon squeezed over it.
If you want to make a Piemontese-style meatloaf, all you have to do is place one or two peeled hard boiled eggs in the middle of the ground meat as you're molding the loaf. They will provide a treat to the eyes when you slice the meat.
The wine? A medium-bodied red, for example a Valpolicella Classico Superiore, a Rosso di Montepulciano, or an unoaked or lightly oaked Barbera
Mince a little onion (a walnut's worth), as well as equivalent volumes of parsley, celery, and carrot, and sauté the mixture in a tablespoon of butter. When the onion has lightly browned, add the meatloaf. Brown the loaf on all sides and add a half cup of water into which you've stirred a half tablespoon of flour. Cover the pot and simmer over a very low flame, being careful not to let the meatloaf burn. Serve it, surrounded by its rich gravy, and with a lemon squeezed over it.
If you want to make a Piemontese-style meatloaf, all you have to do is place one or two peeled hard boiled eggs in the middle of the ground meat as you're molding the loaf. They will provide a treat to the eyes when you slice the meat.
The wine? A medium-bodied red, for example a Valpolicella Classico Superiore, a Rosso di Montepulciano, or an unoaked or lightly oaked Barbera
