A larger-than-life Italian meatloaf, Tuscan style

The annual “New Yorker” Festival features special events like readings, discussions and cooking demonstrations throughout New York City. One cooking demonstration you may want to check out is "Cucina Toscana" — a celebration of all foods Tuscan. Hosting the event is Italian butcher Dario Cecchini, whose family has owned and operated the same butcher shop for more than 250 years. He was invited on the “Today” show to share the recipe for his larger-than-life polpettone.

Larger-Than-Life Polpettone
2 pounds of ground beef
4 ounces of red onion, chopped very fine
1 egg
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped fine
1 teaspoon thyme leaves (or dried thyme)
6 ounces fresh bread, ground up into crumbs (or store-bought breadcrumbs)
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

The best cut of beef is from the shin, also known as the shank. You need to ask your butcher to prepare it. The meat is very lean, with almost no fat and an intense flavor. 

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Mix beef, onion, egg, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Form into one, very large, almost volley-ball-size meat ball, and then roll in breadcrumbs. 

Cook in a deep roasting pan at 425° for 15 minutes. After that, lower the heat to 375° and cook for one hour. 

Serve hot or cold

Polpettone is very good cold, as a lunchtime meat. In Italy, they often serve it with what they call mostarda, which translates as “mustard” but is not mustard as most of the world understands it. The best substitute for Italian mostarda is a pepper jelly. 

For more on the fifth annual “New Yorker” Festival, click here.

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