Family Favourite Meatloaf

by Tessa Kiros from Apples for Jam one of my favourite cookbooks!

I used to make this dish a lot when the kids were little. It's easy to make and very satisfying. you can serve it with a tomato coulis if you'd like.

• about 4 slices) white bread, crusts removed
• ½ cup) milk
• 2 heads of garlic
• 12  mini red peppers
• 500 g(1 lb2 oz) ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• enough bacon to cove the loaf
• 2 sage sprigs
• 2 small rosemary sprigs

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Soak the bread in the milk for about 15 minutes, squashing it up with your hands so it collapses.

Cut the peppers in half lengthways, or keep whole. Cut the zucchini in half lengthways, then in half again to make chunks. Put to one side.

Put the mince in a bowl with the parsley, chopped garlic, parmesan, egg and squashed up bread, and a flat teaspoon of salt. Mix together until smooth, then form a very large loaf like a giant egg.

Drizzle half the olive oil into a large flameproof baking dish and put the meat-loaf on top. Cover with overlapping slices of bacon, tucking them in at the bottom.

Scatter the vegetables all around, drizzle them with the rest of the oil and toss with some salt. Tuck the sage, rosemary and garlic under the vegetables.

Bake for about 1¼ hours, turning the vegetables over halfway through. They should be crusty and golden and the bacon crispy. Remove the vegetables and meatloaf to a platter, and enjoy!