So is it only Italians who put mashed potatoes in their meat loaf? (Let me know.)

I put mashed potatoes in my meat loaf because my mother puts mashed potatoes in her meatloaf and she does it because her mother-in-law (actually it was my dad’s stepmom and she was from Sicily) put mashed potatoes in her meatloaf and so that’s how my dad liked it and so that’s how my mother made it. (Mashed potatoes gives your meatloaf a nice, tender-soft consistency.)

I also put in onion, but dice it and cook it till soft in a little water first (got that habit years ago from David Rosengarten’s Dean & DeLuca Cookbook meatloaf recipe). Then drain the onion and add to the mixture.

All my other ingredients are favs and/or what happens to be hanging around the refrigerator and looks like a good meatloaf addition. (In today’s case: gorgonzola cheese, parsley, and hoisin sauce. Hoisin is good in any ground meat shape including meatballs and hamburgers, think: Chinese-spare-ribs-flavor.)

I love deep flavor condiments like hoisin. I also added Dijon mustard and sriracha.

I’m sure you’ve got some goodies to add, too. (Worcestershire sauce, ghost pepper sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, horseradish, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and ____????) Go on. Load it in. The meat’s loafing, not you.

Meatloaf (my style) (for today anyway)

1 baking potato, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 small onion, peeled & diced

1.5 lbs. ground beef

1 egg

1 bunch parsley, minced

1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola

2-3 tablespoons, Dijon mustard

2-3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce

salt & pepper to taste

3-4 strips pancetta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan heat about an inch of water. Add the diced onion and cook until softened. About 3-4 minutes. Drain and let cool. Put the cut up potato in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Cook till potato is soft, about 7-8 minutes. Mash potato, let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, break up the chopped meat. Add the egg, parsley, gorgonzola, condiments, cooled mashed potato & onion. Mix well. Season with salt & pepper. On a foil-lined sheet pan, shape the meat into a “loaf.” Drape strips of pancetta on top. Bake in oven until deep brown and pancetta is crisped, about 45 minutes.

Then eat it. (Any leftovers? Meatloaf is even better the next day.)