Recipe: Italian Import

Caf茅 Cortina鈥檚 Antonio Giannola shares Nonna Rosa鈥檚 meatloaf secrets
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Antonio Giannola, dining room manager at Caf茅 Cortina, was born in New York but grew up in Palermo, Sicily. He attended culinary school in Monreale, Sicily, and then worked in Italy prior to coming back to the U.S. in 2002. He chose his mother鈥檚 recipe 鈥渂ecause it brings me back to Italy every time I eat it.鈥 Every time Nonna Rosa visits from Italy, his sons ask her to make the delicious meatloaf. She started making this recipe back in 1975 around Thanksgiving, he says. 鈥淢y dad was not a big fan of turkey so my mom came up with this recipe, using corn flakes and milk instead of all breadcrumbs so the meatloaf is very moist 鈥 even after three or four days in the fridge.鈥


Nonna Rosa Palermo Meatloaf (Serves 4)

滨苍驳谤别诲颈别苍迟蝉听

陆 cup corn flakes
录 cup Italian breadcrumbs
陆 cup whole milk
1 pound ground meat, 80 percent lean to 20 percent fat
4 ounces white American cheese, cut in cubes
4 thin slices mortadella with pistachios, cut in cubes
陆 finely chopped scallion
陆 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
录 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
陆 teaspoon salt
录 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon durum flour

Directions

Mix corn flakes and half of the breadcrumbs and soak in milk for 2 hours in refrigerator. Mix ground meat, the remainder of the breadcrumbs, cubed cheese, mortadella, scallions, nutmeg, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, and pepper, then add the soaked corn flake mix.

If meatloaf seems too wet, add more breadcrumbs. Dust the mixture in durum flour and sear in olive oil (medium heat) until the flour becomes golden brown. Transfer to meatloaf pan, place in the oven, cover with foil, and cook at 350 F for about 30 minutes.