If you’re going to make a meatloaf, you may as well make one with knobs on, no? That’s our philosophy anyway and the Sicilians, bless ‘em, agree; this dish is based on a homey Sicilian dish called polpettone. Which is simply Italian for ‘meatloaf’. Made using a seasoned mince mixture that’s flattened, then filled and rolled with blanched greens, ham, cheese and boiled eggs, it’s cooked free-form, not in a tin. But after we’d rolled ours, The Universe told us it might blow apart in the oven as it baked so we transferred it to a loaf tin for safety. and thought it turned out pretty darned good. A few hail Mary’s were involved in transferring it from the board to the tin but with care and fast moves, you can get your meatloaf there in one piece. And if it cracks, just press it firmly back together in the tin and no-one will ever know. 

We used silverbeet, mortadella and provolone for the filling, but you could use spinach, ham or prosciutto, and whatever cheese you have instead; cheddar, gruyere and mozzarella will all work. If it sounds like a fiddle to make, it’s honestly not. The great thing about it is that it goes a long way and feeds quite a crowd. But to simplify things you could forget the stuffing, form the mince part into meatballs, fry those off, then serve them with your fave tomato sugo and some veggies instead.

SERVES 8

Meatloaf

olive oil, for greasing

1kg pork or beef mince, or a mixture

125g fresh bread crumbs (about 4-5 slices crustless bread)

1 onion, very finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

100g (1 cup) finely grated parmesan

2 large eggs

finely grated zest of a lemon

2 tsp dried oregano

1½ tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

pinch ground cloves

Stuffing

1 bunch silverbeet, stems and tough veins removed

100g thinly sliced mortadella or ham

5 hard boiled eggs, peeled

100g finely sliced provolone piccante

Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Brush the base and side of a large (about 28 x 12cm) loaf tin with olive oil. 

For the meatloaf, combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Using clean hands, mix to combine well. Line a large board or work surface with a piece of baking paper, about 35cm long. With a long edge facing you, place the meatloaf mixture on the paper, then use your hands to pat it out into an evenly thick rectangle about 36 x 30cm. 

Meanwhile, for the filling, quarter-fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to the boil. Add the silverbeet leaves, push them into the water, then cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well, cool under running water, then use your hands to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a clean tea towel and wring again to make sure it’s as dry as possible. Finely slice the silverbeet. 

Place the mortadella in a neat layer over the meatloaf mixture, tearing it to fit if necessary, then scatter over the silverbeet. Place the eggs in a line along the long edge facing you, about 8cm from the edge. Scatter over the provolone, breaking pieces to spread it evenly. Using a spatula to help ease the meat layer away from the paper, carefully start rolling the meatloaf up over the eggs like a swiss roll until it forms a neat log. Don’t worry if the meat layer tears a bit; just take a bit of mixture from the ends of the roll to patch up any holes. Gently push the log into a roll about 28cm long, then, working quickly, carefully transfer the meat loaf to the loaf tin. Press down on the top so it’s even. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the juices run clear when pierced with a metal skewer. Remove from the oven, carefully pour off any excess liquid that has accumulated, then stand in the tin for about 20 minutes to firm. Turn out onto a board, slice with a sharp serrated knife, then serve warm or at room temperature. Meatloaf will keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

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