Easy meatloaf with tomato sauce & baked potatoes

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Add the soffritto, season and cook gently for 10 minutes with a lid on, then for 5 minutes with the lid off. Tip half the soffritto into a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, mince beef, egg white and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Season well, add 100g of the tomatoes, and mix with your hands. Mound into a baking dish, about 13x20cm. Drizzle with ½ tbsp oil, then cool.

2. Add the remaining tomatoes to the soffritto pan with 150ml water and simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots in the soffritto are tender. Blend, using a stick blender to make a smooth sauce and season with extra Worcestershire sauce. Cool, then transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze with the meatloaf for up to 3 months.

3. When needed, preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Cover the frozen meatloaf with foil, place on a baking sheet and put the potatoes next to it. Cook for 1-1¼ hours or until piping hot and the potatoes are tender. Alternatively, cook the frozen jacket potatoes according to the pack instructions.

4. Put the frozen sauce in a saucepan, cover and gently cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until piping hot and bubbling. Serve together, with spoons of cream cheese pushed into the open potatoes and plenty of chives to garnish. Serve with a dressed leaves salad or steamed green beans, cooked from frozen if preferred.

Cook’s tipDefrost the meatloaf and sauce completely in the fridge overnight. Cook the meatloaf and potatoes together in a preheated oven at 200°C, gas mark 6 for 1 hour or until piping hot and the potatoes are tender. Reheat the sauce gently in a saucepan or in the microwave until piping hot.