Polpettone

When I was at boarding school one of my least favourite things to eat was meatloaf. But as I’ve learned over the years just because I didn’t like something when I was younger doesn’t mean there isn’t a better version that I can love… And here it is! I still can’t bring myself to call it meatloaf though. Besides it’s much more fun to say ‘polpettone’ – the Italian for large meatball.

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Polpettone

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 hungry people

Ingredients

• 1 kg ground (minced) beef (2lb)
• 150 g almond meal (almond flour) (5oz)
• 1 jar tomato passata / puree (3 cups)
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 150 g grated cheese (5oz)
• salad leaves to serve

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 200C (400F). Combine beef, almond meal and a few pinches of salt in a bowl Mix well and form into a loaf.
• Place tomato and butter in a baking dish and top with your loaf.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Spoon sauce over the top of the loaf and scatter over the cheese. Bake for another 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the polpettone is cooked through. I like it a little pink.
• Eat now or allow to cool before storing in the fridge or freezer.

Variations

pantry-friendly – serve with steamed or pan fried frozen greens.

no onion powder? – just skip it or soften a chopped onion in a little butter and add to the raw beef.

vegetarian – try these lentil balls instead. Or replace the beef with eggplant, slice into halves and sprinkle with almond meal and onion powder. Bake as per recipe.

nut-free – replace almond meal with soft breadcrumbs.

different cheese – any good melting cheese works well. I used a mixture of gruyere, parmesan and emmental.

short on time – roll beef mixture into balls and bake in the sauce 250C / 480F for 20 minutes or until cooked through. OR brown beef in a large frying pan. Add other ingredients and simmer until thick. Serve on a bed of baby spinach or salad.

more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with soft polenta, mash, cooked pasta or garlic bread.

more substantial (low carb) – larger serve!

paleo (grain, legume & dairy-free) – use olive oil for butter and skip the cheese.

Prep Ahead

Yes. Make polpettone as per recipe but don’t add the salad. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze.

Reheating Guidelines

Pop in the oven at 220C (425F) for 10-15 mins or until warmed through. or
If frozen, allow to defrost in the fridge before heating in the oven. Do not try to go straight from freezer to oven because the outsides of the polpettone will overcook before the insides have had a chance to defrost.

Serving Suggestions

straight up – I like thick slices with the sauce spooned over and a green salad on the side.

sandwich filling – great thinly sliced and used for a sandwich filling either warm or cold.

carb lovers – serve on a bed of buttered spaghetti.

Storage Best Practices

If you like you could skip adding the cheese initially and wait to sprinkle it on before you reheat. Either way is OK. Store in an airtight container or covered with foil. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks or so.
Easy freeze meal? Can be frozen for up to 12 months.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

beef – freeze it.

almond meal, onion powder, passata (puree) – pantry.

butter – keeps in the fridge for months.

cheese – most hard cheese will keep in the fridge for months. Can be frozen.

Problem Solving Guide

falling apart – next time compact the loaf more firmly together with your hands.

bland – be generous with the seasoning. Next time use better quality meat.

sauce too acidic or sharp? – add a few tablespoons of olive oil or butter for extra richness.

loaf browning too much – cover with foil and cook until done.

loaf pink inside – I like it a little bit pink but if you prefer your minced meat cooked through just pop it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

loaf dry – next time use fattier beef or try cooking for less time. For now be generous with the butter!

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