Italian-Style Meat Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds 92% lean ground beef
• 1 cup fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large egg whites
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine beef, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Shape beef mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush remaining 1/2 cup pasta sauce over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut loaf into 12 slices.
3. Wine Note: Anything Italian-style seems like a candidate for Chianti, but with a humble meat loaf like this, I like something more full-bodied. A California syrah has enough concentration to mirror the density of the ground beef, and it makes the meat loaf seem just a bit grander. Try Arrowood's Grand Archer 2001 Syrah from Sonoma County, California (about $20). -Karen MacNeil