Ingredients :
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 C. chopped bell pepper (I used orange, it was all I had in the freezer)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 egg, beaten
3/4 C. Italian bread crumbs
2 slices white bread, crumbled
1 T. milk
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, reserve 3/4 C. for topping
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 C. marinara sauce, plus 1/2 -3/4 C. more for topping
Directions :
-In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over med. high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat.
-In a large bowl, add the meats, onion and peppers along with all remaining ingredients reserving 3/4 C. mozzarella cheese for topping.
-Now, dive in there with the best tools God gave you, your hands and combine everything really good.
-Once it has all come together, place and mold the mixture in a baking dish of your choice.
-I used my oval Portuguese stoneware for ours. Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 C. of the marinara sauce on top and spread around.
-Place in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes.
-Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle a little dry basil over the top.
-Return to the oven for 10 more minutes.
-Make sure the meat is not pink before serving, baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your loaf. Mine was about 2″ thick.