Polpettone (Italian meatloaf) with Mortadella and Ricotta, is a rich and tasty meat dish that kids and grown-ups will love. Extra-lean ground beef, shredded mortadella, ricotta, Parmigiano, and pistachios are the main ingredients of this Italian delicacy. Cooked in white wine becomes extra tender and juicy!
Song of the day: James Blunt - Heart To Heart.
Polpettone, the wonderful Italian meatloaf
All in all, I do not cook many meat dishes, I leave that to Loreto. However, this Polpettone is among my pièces de resistence.
In my beginning years living with Loreto in Canada, this very Polpettone with Mortadella and Ricotta was one of the very first things I made. Everyone enjoyed it so much that it became a regular weeknight meal.
Extremely moist and super tasty, it is definitely not your usual meatloaf.
Let's have a look at the ingredients
This polpettone hosts diverse flavors and textures:
- organic extra lean ground beef,
- egg,
- ricotta,
- shredded mortadella,
- chopped pistachios,
- grated Parmigiano
- parsley, salt, and pepper
- breadcrumbs
Free-form meatloaf
For one thing, in Italy, Polpettone is a free-form loaf that is baked in a regular baking dish. You will never see anybody using a loaf pan which is reserved for a sweet baked good called Plumcake (basically, a delicious light and tender loaf cake that doesn't have any plums in it, lol).
Let's make Polpettone
Firstly, add all the ingredients in a big bowl. Start blending them with a wooden spoon, then use your clean hands. Polpettone, as well as Polpette (meatballs), is a hands-on affair, you need to feel the consistency and the mingling of the ingredients. After the ingredients are well incorporatde, simply shape it into an oval, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and drizzle with evo oil. Finally, lay it on an oiled baking dish to be cooked in the oven.
Helpful hints
In this recipe, some white wine is poured at the bottom of the dish, and it is also used to baste the meatloaf while it is cooking, thus ensuring the most flavorful and moist meat. For a kid-free version, you could use some broth, but anyway, all the alcohol is cooked out. To make sure the meat is cooked all the way through, use a thermometer, inserting it midway in the middle. When it reads 165° F the meat is ready. The pinkish hue is due to the mortadella, and it is speckled with the green of the pistachios.
Look at that wonderful crust that has developed. It just screams flavor and texture with those breadcrumbs toasted and the caramelization of the mortadella and ground beef. The aroma alone will have some stomach growling, I know that for sure. The kitchen fills with beautiful smells that bring everyone in to see what's cooking!
Let's have a taste!
Indeed, there is a wonderful richness that comes from all the ingredients blended together and that makes this Polpettone so luxurious. The white wine brings a bit of fruity acidity that works so well to spike all the flavors: the sweetness from the ricotta, cinnamon, and mortadella, the nuttiness from the pistachios, the sharpness of the Parmigiano, just to mention a few. All these flavors will play with your taste buds with balance, poise, and unity, to make this Polpettone an all-around delicious recipe. Loreto is quick to get some bread and grace it with a nice plump piece of the great Italian classic and as usual, adding his quick humor to say "Now that's one very good meatta ball"!
Ultimately, if you want to change things up a bit and present to the table a different version of a family favorite, try this Polpettone (Italian meatloaf) with Mortadella and Ricotta, you won't be disappointed.
It truly is delicious!
Enjoy!
PrintPolpettone (Italian meat loaf) with Mortadella and Ricotta
Polpettone (Italian meatloaf) with Mortadella and Ricotta, is a rich and tasty meat dish that kids and grown-ups will love. Extra-lean ground beef, shredded mortadella, ricotta, Parmigiano, and pistachios are the main ingredients of this Italian delicacy. Cooked in white wine becomes extra tender and juicy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 05 minute
- Yield: 4 good-size servings 1x
- Category: Main, Meat
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 500 g organic extra lean ground beef
- 100 g (4-5 slices) Italian Mortadella shredded
- 90 g (⅓ cup) Ricotta
- 50g (½ cup) grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 large egg, organic free-range
- 15 g (a large handful) pistachios, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup of stale crustless bread (broken up into small pieces) soaked in⅛ cup milk
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs for topping
- ¼ cup white wine
- evo oil for finishing
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375° F (190° C).
- In a big bowl mix ground beef, shredded mortadella, ricotta, grated Grana Padano, egg, chopped pistachio, parsley, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Squeeze milk-soaked bread and add to the mixture. Discard milk. Mix well first with a wooden spoon then with your hands until well incorporated.
- Form into a large oval on a plate and coat with breadcrumbs all over completely coating the polpettone.
- Drizzle olive oil at the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish, gently place the polpettone in. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and pour wine all around the polpettone and into the dish. Do not pour the wine on top of the polpettone.
- Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, basting it once or twice with the juices from the dish to keep it moist. Do this until a meat thermometer placed in the middle of the thickest part reads 165° F.
- Take out o the oven and let sit 10 minutes before cutting.
- Slice and serve with your favorite side dish.
Notes
Recommended side dishes: roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, sauteed greens (kale, spinach, broccoli rabe, cicoria), and/or a fresh salad.
Any leftovers, the next day make for a great sandwich (panino).
Keep any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Milena Perrine says
I am so happy you made this polpettone for the blog! I will make it for our family and will probably use a pilsner in lieu of the white wine, because I love how it tastes with ground meat (beef or pork). I am so taken by the shredded mortadella mixed in with the ground meat. Chris loves mortadella. And the ricotta lending moisture to the beef. And soaking the bread in milk like my grandma used to. I love the looks of the sauce that forms around the bottom from the wine. Just waiting to be mopped with fresh bread or drizzled over the pieces of meatloaf. So love this recipe. Thank you, Nicoletta. Pinned!
I am so happy you like the recipe and you're going to make it! the idea of the pilsner is great, will make a wonderful sauce at the bottom! Let me know how you like it. Thank you, Milena!
Margaret@Kitchen Frau says
Our family absolutely LOVES meatloaf - this is one version I just have to try! It will be fun to change it up from my usual version. I love the idea of mortadella and ricotta in there - it must make it extra moist and creamy! Can't wait to make it and shake up our meatloaf repertoire a bit 🙂
Thank you Margaret! If your family loves meat loaf, then you have to try this new Italian version 🙂 . It is super moist and very flavorful. Let me know!
thesweetworldsite says
It looks so good! I love meat loaf, so this will be a new one for me to try! Your pictures look really nice! Thanks for sharing this recipe! Here are calzones that I recently made for dinner and my family loved them. Hope you give them a try and enjoy them too 🙂
https://thesweetworldsite.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/calzone/
Thanks! Hope you try it and like it as much as my family does. I saw your calzoni and they look great! We've always said we need to post a recipe, people love them.
thesweetworldsite says
They are really wonderful and I like that everyone can make it how they like it with their favorite filling!
Cynthia says
This looks so good! I like that it's a free-form meat loaf. My toddler LOVES cheese. So, we will have to try this recipe!
Thanks Cynthia, it is really flavorful and free form is the only way I've always known 🙂 .
Wanda Baker says
Free form meatloaf is the only way to go! And wow both ricotta and mortadella! Sounds so tasty!
Yes! Free form meat loaf is the only way I know 🙂 . Thanks so much!!
Yvonne Langen says
I NEED to try this! Most of my coworkers are Italian, I will make this for them and shock them with my Italian culinary know-how that you've imparted to me in this recipe!
Ah ah, nice 🙂 . Thank you for your comment!
Denise from Urb'n'Spice says
Meat Loaf is such a wonderful comfort food, isn't it? I love your version with the addition of mortadella and pistachios - it elevates meat loaf to company status. It is also a very attractive meat loaf. The idea of basting with wine is such a great idea, too! Thanks so much as always for sharing your stories and your wonderful recipes. I always want to make each and every one!
Thank you so so much, Denise! I don't eat it anymore but Loreto and my step son are always so happy when I make it, it must be tasty 🙂 .
Natalie Browne says
Meatloaf is always a favourite at our house. But, your version with pistachios and mortadella takes it to another level. I’m adding it to my meal plan this week ????
Thank you, Natalie! This is a favorite of ours, hope you like it as well!!
Isadora Guidoni says
This meatloaf looks heavenly! I'm really looking forward to making it!
Thank you! It is delicious.
kristy says
I always love Italian food and this one looks so amazing! Can't wait to make it early. Thank you for sharing such a nice post. 🙂
Thank you! It truly is a delicious Italian dish!
cindy says
My mom's birthday is coming up and all she wanted was a big family dinner. I can't argue with her there! This meatloaf is on the menu plan. I know she's going to love it! Pure comfort food!
Hi Cindy I think you are going to love this Polpettone. The mortadella inside just melts and adds such a wonderful moisture and flavor inside this meat. I love how the top crusts up and the flavor of the wine is perfect to mingle the totality of this plump tender morsel of pure deliciousness!
Thank you so much for trying our recipe. We really appreciate it!
Happy Cooking!