Categories: Main Dish, Meatloaf, Pork
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant , peeled and sliced lengthwise slightly less than 1/4 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper , diced
- 1 medium yellow squash or 1 medium zucchini , diced
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage or 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 cup firm fresh Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 t. dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 400°.
-
Place eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.
-
Brush with 1 tablespoon oil.
-
Bake about 10 minutes or until the eggplant slices are tender, but not browned.
-
Remove from oven and lower temperature to 350°.
-
In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil; cook the onion, bell pepper, and squash over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are just softened.
-
Add in garlic and cook 1 minute.
-
In a large mixing bowl, gently but thoroughly combine (use your hands) the beef, sausage, bread crumbs, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and cooked onion mixture.
-
Place the meat mixture in an elongated oval in a 13×9 inch baking dish.
-
Form mixture into an oval about 10 inches long and about 3 inches wide.
-
Drape the eggplant slices crosswise over the meat loaf.
-
In a small bowl, stir the canned tomatoes w/ juice, wine, basil, and pepper flakes.
-
Pour about half the tomato mixture over the loaf.
-
Bake 30 minutes, then pour the remaining tomato mixture over the loaf.
-
Bake an additional 20 minutes, then let stand 10 minutes.
-
Serve the loaf in slices with the pan tomato sauce.