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  • Italian Meatloaf: White Bean and Turkey Polpettone

    Ingredients

    For the polpettone

    Yield: 10 portions

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Carrots, peeled and diced
      1 ea.
    • Onions, small, chopped
      1 ea.
    • Celery, chopped
      1 ea.
    • Garlic cloves, crushed
      3 ea.
    • Olive oil
      ¼ cup
    • White beans, drained and rinsed
      2 cups
    • Whole grain bread cubes
      1 cup
    • Whole milk
      ½ cup
    • Turkey, ground
      1½ lb.
    • Scallions, roots removed, minced
      5 ea.
    • Pecorino cheese, grated
      ½ cup
    • Fire-roasted tomatoes, drained, crushed
      ½ cup
    • Italian parsley, stemmed and minced
      3 Tbsp.
    • Oregano, minced
      ¼ cup
    • Kosher salt
      4 tsp.
    • Olive oil
      3 Tbsp.

    Swiss chard marinara

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Olive oil
      ¼ cup
    • Onion, peeled and diced
      1 ea.
    • Garlic, peeled and minced
      2 Tbsp.
    • Red pepper, cored, seeded, diced
      1 ea.
    • Swiss chard, stemmed, chopped
      1 bu.
    • Marinara sauce
      1 cup
    • Marjoram, minced
      2 tsp.
    • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
      to taste

    Method

    1. For the base of the meatloaf: Place the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until chopped very fine. In a large saute pan, add olive oil and scrap the vegetables into the pan. Cook over medium-high heat stirring to cook evenly, about 5 minutes or until the vegetables just start to brown. Add 1 cup of the white beans and mash with the back of a wooden spoon; reserve the remaining 1 cup of beans. Remove from the heat and add to a large bowl to cool completely. Soak the bread cubes with the bread for about 15 minutes; add to the large bowl of cooled vegetables.
    2. To complete the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 375°F. To the large bowl with the cooked vegetable mixture, add the turkey, scallions, grated cheese, tomatoes, parsley, oregano, salt, and olive oil. Mix evenly with your hands until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Add the reserved 1 cup of white beans and stir gently to combine.
    3. To cook the meatloaf: Form into a loaf about 5 inches in diameter, and place onto an oiled baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the center temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
    4. For the Swiss chard marinara: Add the olive oil to a saute pan and saute the onions on medium-high heat until they start to become limp and soft. Add the garlic and red peppers and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the chopped Swiss chard and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and marjoram and simmer for 10 minutes to combine the flavors. Reduce the heat to medium or low and continue to cook slowly for 30 minutes until they are caramelized all the way through. Set aside warm for serving with meatloaf.
    5. To serve the dish: Once the meatloaf is cooked, cool for 15 minutes. Serve with the braised greens.