I know. I can’t believe I ‘went there’ either. I remember the first time my Irishman told me about ‘meatzza’, my first reaction was ‘gross’. Definitely not.

Then years later I stumbled across Nigella’s recipe for meatzza in her Italian book. And if it’s good enough for Nigella…

If I still haven’t convinced you, instead of calling it ‘meatzza’, you could just think of it as a very large flat meatloaf. And serve the slices with lots of salad or veg. Like I do!

I love this broccoli & basil version (even if I forgot to add the basil for the photo shoot!). The toppings balance out the meatiness. However I’ve also made a more traditional margarita with a tomato sauce which was delicious as well.

There are 7-ingredients in the list here, but one is salt which I don’t count in my ‘6’.

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Broccoli & Basil ‘Meatzza’

Total Time 30

Servings people

Ingredients

500 g ground (minced) beef (1lb)
100 g almond meal (almond flour) (3.5oz)
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 head broccoli
100 g bocconcini or mozzarella cheese (3.5oz)
small bunch basil or baby spinach leaves

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 250C (480F). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Bring a small pot of salted water about 2cm (1in) deep to the boil. Chop broccoli into bite sized pieces and add to the pot. Simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, mix beef, almond meal, eggs and salt. I find hands are best for this. Transfer the meat mixture to your prepared tray and use your hands to flatten it out into a circle about 30cm (12in) diameter. I like to make a little border that is slightly thicker around the edges.
Top meatzza base with broccoli. Tear cheese and scatter over.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and the meat is cooked through. If there’s a little liquid seeping out, just pat it dry with paper towel.
Serve sliced into wedges with basil / spinach leaves on top.

WINE MATCH: An Italian red like Chianti or Sangiovese.

Variations & Substitutions

pantry-friendly – frozen broccoli or greens. Basil / baby spinach = pesto.

vegetarian – Try my cauliflower pizza with the broccoli + basil toppings.

more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with garlic or pita bread. Or use regular pizza bases.

more substantial (low carb) – use the recipe to serve 2. Or serve with a substantial low carb salad, veg side or Almond Bread.

margarita – replace broccoli with your favourite pizza tomato sauce.

cheesier – serve with lashings of grated parmesan.

different meat – replace beef with ground chicken or turkey.

egg-free – replace egg with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 50g (2oz) grated parmesan.

nut-free – replace almond meal with fresh bread crumbs or half breadcrumbs and half grated parmesan. Or use ground sunflower seeds.

hot! – wonderful with your fave hot sauce or a drizzle of chilli oil.

paleo (grain, legume & dairy-dree) – cheese = dairy-free pesto either baked onto the base or drizzled over. [5] Cream = extra eggs or almond milk.

pizza ‘rosso’ – add some tomato passata or crushed canned tomatoes before topping with the broccoli.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

minced (ground) beef – freeze it.

almond meal / fine salt – keep them in the pantry.

eggs – will keep in the fridge for weeks or use for another meal.

broccoli – will keep wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge for about 2 weeks or sometimes a little longer. Can be frozen (if you have time chop before freezing so it will defrost quickly in the pan).

bocconcini or mozzarella – freeze them.

basil – make basil oil by packing washed and dried leaves in a clean jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil. Or you can freeze the leaves, they’ll wilt but will still be delicious.

baby spinach – best to use for another meal. Can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted.

Problem Solving Guide

bland – more salt! some pesto, hot sauce, ketchup or chilli oil will help.

too dry / burned – Oh no! You’ve overooked the meatzza. Just scrape off any burnt bits and drizzle very generously with your best peppery extra virgin olive oil, just like Pappa Gino would 😉 Next time check earlier.

meatzza sticking – don’t use foil as it will stick. Baking paper or a silicone baking sheet are best. Or very generously oil a metal baking sheet. For now I’m afraid you’ll just have to be patient and pull it apart as best you can. Condsifer changing the name to cheesy Beef and Broccoli Hash.

watery – sometimes bocconcini can be quite watery – just keep cooking until the moisture has evaporated and your cheese is melted and golden.

no oven – make 6 small burger patties with the meat mixture and pan fry until well browned (about 3-4 minutes each side on a medium high heat). Serve 2 patties per person. Toss torn bocconcini in with the hot drained broccoli and dress with a a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice. Toss in the spinach / basil leaves and serve the salad on top of the delicious burger patties.

Prepare Ahead

Yes! Just cook as per the recipe. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks or can be frozen. To serve, warm in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted again.