sure, why not? romano is just a little stronger flavoured, no one likes hairy parmesan anyway.
my italian turkey meatloaf is similar to andy's, but i saute my veggies. you can use beef, of course, but
everything has to be healthy in my house or i get to eat all of it.
ingredients: (approximate amounts, i rarely ever measure)
1 1/3 lb ground turkey (93/7)
1 1/2 cups diced sweet onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup bread crumbs
2 cups grated romano or parmesan
1 cup tomato sauce
2 large eggs
1 cup dried parsley
2 tbsps dried basil
1 tbsp fennel seed
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
2 tbsps evoo
1 tbsp black pepper
directions:
1. saute the onions and peppers for just a minute in evoo, then add the minced garlic and saute for just a minute more so that they just begin to soften and the garlic toasts a bit, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
2. let the veggies cool off for a few minutes, then add to a large bowl and put your ground turkey into the bowl as well.
3. add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, and mix thoroughly by hand. it should be somewhat sticky but not gloppy or too loose to form into a loaf. if it is too wet, add more bread crumbs. if it's too dry, add more tomato sauce or a splash or two of milk.
4. pre-heat oven to 350.
5. spray the bottom of a large baking dish with a little non-stick cooking spray, form the meat into a loaf, and place the loaf in the center of the baking dish.
6. bake at 350 for about 45 mnutes, or until the loaf has firmed up and is cooked through.
even though this is "italian" style, i like to serve it with mashed potatoes and butter, and steamed stringbeans or grilled asparagus.