Italian Meatloaf Muffins (Poipettone Con Riccota)

Our recipe for this day is Italian Meatloaf Muffins as we continue our recipe adventures I found the to be a great recipe for children to help with as well as eat. The process is fun for them to enjoy the mixing. Great way for your children to be involved in the process of making dinner. The size is great for single dinner portions or smaller as an appetizer for any party. 

I scour yard sales for old recipe books. On one of my adventures I found an old file folder with many recipes from newspapers of days gone by. This one caught my eye and with good reason. When I did a bit of investigating I could not find this exact recipe anywhere on the internet. So it is one that will really make you smile with the fact that it is an original. 

This one proves to be a challenge to my brain because I am use to pouring sauce on the top prior to cooking. Not these little devils. Plus you bake them in 3 inch muffin tins.

This recipe is in it's original form.

 It was printed in The Los Angeles Examiner Friday, May 24, 1957 

by Prudence Penny the Examiners Home Economics Editor.

 

Gather your ingredients. It is always easier to gather them prior to starting the cooking process. Nothing more irritating then starting and finding something is not available in your kitchen or not enough of one item.

Ingredients                             

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup of water
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon whole basil leaves, crumbled
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil or salad oil
2 tablespoons of fine dry bread crumbs

1/2 pound of ricotta cheese (small curd cottage cheese may be substituted)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon crumbled basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Let us get started ...

Mix meat with next nine ingredients shown in the recipe list.

 

Brush six 3- inch muffins cups with oil and sprinkle them with bread crumbs. 

I use Panko it is a lighter touch.

You can use any muffin tin you want. I liked this size larger because they are a dinner not an appetizer. Fill each cup with half the meat mixture.


Mix ricotta cheese with remaining egg, basil, and salt.

Spread over the meat. It looks like frosting right ? 

Top with remaining meat.

Brush tops with oil.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.
Makes 6 - 3 inch meat loaves.

For loaf, use a 9 by 5 inch by 3 inch loaf pan follow same procedure.

Bake 1 hour in 350 degree oven.
If ground pork is used for part of the meat bake 15 minutes longer. 

Once they are cooked you can serve them with marinara sauce topped. They were a smash at the dinner party I had for Valentines day. Just enough for each guest with a salad and loaf of homemade crusty bread.