RoundAbout San Diego

Alex is laying on the couch groaning. He LOVES meatloaf and ate so much of this one. This recipe makes a huge amount of meatloaf - so much that I had to run down to the store to buy some aluminum loaf pans (did not make as one big loaf). It's really good. I served with garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, and gravy. This recipe comes from Mario Batali's father via epicurious.com. It freezes really well and the leftovers make great sandwiches.

Beef & Sausage Meat Loaf with Mozzarella

2 pounds lean ground beef (15 percent fat)
1 pound coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed, meat crumbled
2 cups chopped fresh basil
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce, divided
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/2 cup dry red wine

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine first 11 ingredients in large bowl. Gently mix in 1/2 cup tomato sauce, eggs, and wine. Place meat mixture on large rimmed baking sheet and shape into 16x4-inch loaf. Brush with remaining 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Bake meat loaf until cooked through and thermometer inserted into center registers between 160°F and 170°F, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

8 servings