PURPITTUNI
SICI:LIAN MEATLOAF
PURPITTONI
Purpittoni is a Sicilian Meatlaof that is braised in a toamto sauce. It is one of those Italian (Sicilian) two meals in one dishes. After the Purpittuni is finished cooking, you cook some Maccheroni Pasta and dress it with some of the sauce that the Purpittuni (Meatloaf) cooking in. This is your pasta course, that you will follow with a slice of the Purpittune, dress with a bit of sauce. Now "that's Italian." Excuse me, I meant "Sicilian"
Enjoy !
INGREDIENTS
PROCESSES
Cook the onion in a little hot extra virgin olive oil, add a little salt and let cool.Mix the cooled onion into the minced meat, add garlic, grated cheese, raw eggs, bread, parsley, salt and pepper together. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until they are well combined – they should feel sticky.Spread the meat on a piece of baking paper (the older Sicilians probably would have used a marble slab).Place ham slices lengthwise and in the centre of the mince.Peel the hard boiled eggs and you may wish, (if you remember to do it) to cut off a little of the white at both ends so that when you line the eggs up they will fit into one another and form a continuous line – this is done so that when you slice the polpettone each serving will have some egg.Shape the polpettone into a long oval shape enveloping all of the stuffing. The paper will prevent the meat from sticking and will make it easier to slide into the pan. Wet hands will also help to shape it. Make sure that there is sufficient meat around the eggs – this is the frail part of the polpettone. If it is going to crack during cooking this will be it.
Heat some extra virgin olive oil and seal the meat from all sides (carefully).
Add the wine, allow it to evaporate a little, add the passata, a little water, herbs and more seasoning.
Braise over low heat for about 35- 45 minutes. To prevent breakage, turn the polpettone only once during cooking. If necessary, add more water during cooking. It should kept moist while it cooks and you can always evaporate the juice at the end, if you wish to intensify the flavour.
