Meatloaf (Beef, Italian Sausage with Mozzarella and Parmesan)

Think of your favourite Italian meatball, cover it with cheese and pop it in the oven and you'll have an idea about the end result of this lovely and most comforting of meatloafs.

1 lb ground beef
½ lb ground mild Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ cup bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped or ½ tsp. dried
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped or ½ tsp. dried
1 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped or ½ tsp. dried
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 slices white bread, crumbled
1 Tbsp. milk
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup Marinara Sauce

Topping:
¼-½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¾ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
dried basil

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

In a large bowl, add the meats, onion and peppers along with all remaining ingredients reserving ¾ cup mozzarella cheese for topping. Now, dive in there with the best tools God gave you, your hands and combine everything really well.

Once it has all come together, place and mold the mixture in a baking dish of your choice (like a rectangle loaf pan). Spoon ½-¾  cup of the marinara sauce on top and spread around.

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheeses and sprinkle a little dry basil over the top. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

Cook's Notes: Make sure the meat is not pink before serving. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your loaf. Suggested time is based on a 2" thick meatloaf.