Veal rifreddo (meatloaf)

Veal rifreddo (meatloaf)

“The ideal versatile dish to have stashed away in your fridge to eat for lunch, supper or to take on a picnic. A slice of this herb and nutmeg-perfumed veal loaf, accompanied with a simple seasonal salad, fills me with happiness.” – Eleonora Galasso.

Veal rifreddo (meatloaf)

  • Serves icon Serves 6
  • Time icon Hands-on 25 min, 
oven 1½ hours, plus chilling

“The ideal versatile dish to have stashed away in your fridge to eat for lunch, supper or to take on a picnic. A slice of this herb and nutmeg-perfumed veal loaf, accompanied with a simple seasonal salad, fills me with happiness.” – Eleonora Galasso.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
424kcals
Fat
26.9g (11.3g saturated)
Protein
42.4g
Carbohydrates
2.7g (1.1g sugars)
Fibre
0.7g
Salt
2.2g

Ingredients

  • 20g unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing
  • 500g British free-range veal escalopes, trimmed
  • 50g almonds, crushed, plus 1 tbsp for the topping
  • 80g pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
  • 200g sliced roast ham 
  • 75g fresh goat’s cheese, crumbled 
  • 100g sliced mortadella
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped 
2 large free-range eggs
  • 1 tbsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • Small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
  • Small bunch fresh rosemary, finely chopped

You’ll also need… 

  • 900g loaf tin 
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Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease the loaf tin liberally with the butter. Next, flatten the veal escalopes slightly with a rolling pin. Use about a quarter of them to line the bottom of the loaf tin, then sprinkle with half the almonds. Lightly sprinkle with salt, pepper and some of the pecorino. 
  2. Add half the ham and half the goat’s cheese in a single layer, then sprinkle again with salt, pepper and pecorino. Next, add a layer of half the mortadella and top with half the celery, sprinkling again with salt, pepper and pecorino. Then, add a further layer of veal escalope.
  3. Lightly beat the eggs with the marjoram, nutmeg and half the mint and rosemary, then pour half the mixture into the loaf tin.
  4. Repeat the layering, remembering to sprinkle each layer with salt, pepper and pecorino. After you’ve added the final layer of veal, add 1 tbsp almonds and pour the remaining egg mixture on top. Put the loaf tin into a deep roasting tin and fill with boiling water to halfway up the side of the loaf tin. Bake the rifreddo, uncovered, in the oven for 1½ hours. 
  5. Once cooked, remove the loaf tin from the oven and carefully pour any juices out of the tin into a bowl. Cool the juices, then chill in the fridge – they’ll become a delicious jelly. Leave the rifreddo in the loaf tin, then put a sheet of non-stick baking paper on top and add a couple of heavy tins or jars on top to weigh it down. Leave to cool, then put in the fridge overnight (for at least 10 hours), still with the tins on top. 
  6. To serve, remove the rifreddo carefully from the tin onto a serving platter and slice. Serve it sprinkled with the remaining herbs, with the jellied juices and a fresh, sharply dressed salad on the side.

Nutrition

Calories
424kcals
Fat
26.9g (11.3g saturated)
Protein
42.4g
Carbohydrates
2.7g (1.1g sugars)
Fibre
0.7g
Salt
2.2g

delicious. tips

  1. Pack the layers down well as you assemble the rifreddo – it makes the finished dish much easier to slice.

  2. This dish is meant to be made at least one day before you want to serve it. Leftovers will keep for up to a week, well covered in the fridge.

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