Neapolitan meatloaf - polpettone fritto

1. Soak the bread in water to cover by several inches for 10 minutes. Drin it and squeeze it quite dry. Combine it with the ground beef and the parsley in a bowl and mix well (if you have a hand-operated grinder, put the mixture though the grinder and into the bowl). Add the eggs, Parmigiano, butter, and garlic (if you're using it), season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well.

2. Spread the mixture into a 2-finger thick rectangle on your work surface. Lay the strips of prosciutto or mortadella over the surface of the meat, oriented lengthwise, and put the eggs in the center, end to end. Carefully roll the meatloaf up around the eggs, pressing gently to remove air, but being careful not to squash it.

3. To keep the meatloaf from breaking as it cooks, wrap it in muslin and tie it shut.

4. Heat a pot of oil large enough to contain the meatloaf; when a cube of bread tossed into it begins to color immediately it is hot.

5. Carefully lift the meatloaf, with the aid of two kitchen skimmers, and gently deposit in the oil. Cook over a brisk flame, turning it occasionally to insure that it forms a uniform golden crust. The total cooking time will be about an hour.

6. Two observations: The meatloaf will not stick to the pot if you use a Teflon-coated pot. Also, remove the muslin at once, before the meatloaf cools.

7. Serve the meatloaf sliced fairly thick (3/4 inch, or 2 cm slices), with mashed potatoes or greens, either spinach or even broccoli raab, whose bitterness will contrast with the richness of the meat. A wine? Red, and I would think of Lacrima Cristi.

8. As I said, this recipe is subject to variations.

9. You could, for example, recook it in tomato sauce. You'll need, in addition to the meatloaf above:

10. 2 cups (500 ml) bottled tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt to taste

11. When the meatloaf is frying, and about 25 minutes from being done, take a saucepot large enough to contain it and set it over a medium flame, with 2-3 tablespoons of the hot oil from the fry pot. Add the remaining ingredients, check seasoning, and simmer until the meatloaf is done.

12. Carefully remove the muslin if you wrapped the meatloaf in it, and gently set the meatloaf in the sauce, spooning some over it as well. Cook for a half hour over a low flame, carefully turning the meatloaf occasionally.

13. Slice it into 3/4-inch (2 cm) slices, spoon the sauce over it, and serve with mashed potatoes. Red, and I would (again) think of Lacrima Cristi.