Shelly's Recipe

SICILIAN MEATLOAF

Category: Beef

2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup soft crumbs (1 to 2 slices of bread)
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 tbsp snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 lbs lean ground beef
8 thin slices ham (about 6 oz)
6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (11/2 cups)
3 slices mozzarella cheese (3 oz), halved diagonally

Preheat oven to 350. Combine eggs, crumbs, tomato juice, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix in ground beef, mixing well. On foil or wax paper, pat meat to a 12x10 inch rectangle. Arrange ham slices atop meat leaving a small margin around edges. Sprinkle shredded cheese over ham. Starting from short end, carefully roll up meat, using foil to lift; seal edges and ends. Be sure edges are sealed well so cheese won't ooze out.

Place roll, seam side down, in 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until center registers 160 on a meat thermometer. (Nitrates in the ham will keep the center of meat roll pink.) Place cheese wedges over top of roll; return to oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese.