Mangia Con Elena

  Polpettone/ Italian Meatloaf IG: @mangia.con.elena Polpette is the Italian word for meatballs.  Polpettine are also meatballs but smaller and used for soups, lasagne and baked pasta.  Polpettone therefore is a large meatball which essentially is what a meatloaf is.  Italian meatloafs are a combination of ground meat and spices and can also be filled with various ingredients depending on the Italian region.  In Rome, boiled eggs, spinach, lamb and celery are popular while in Emiglia Romana you might find pancetta, cinnamon and nutmeg rolled into the meatloaf. In Tuscany, ground veal is the meat of choice accompanied with carrots and onions.  It is the perfect one pan dinner! My mother insisted that the best meat for her polpettone was a combination of veal, pork and beef. The same combination that she used for her traditional meatballs as well. Sometimes, the meat was then rolled around boiled eggs, spinach and provolone cheese. Other times it was served with no filling. Either way, i