Is Valerie Bertinelli the mother of reinvention? Her life (and her fans) can be divided into several constituencies (many of which overlap): the “One Day at a Time” crowds, the I-Can’t-Believe-She-Married-Eddie-Van-Halen curiosity-seekers, the Jenny Craig true believers, the devotees of “Touched by an Angel” and, more recently, “ Hot in Cleveland.”
She is also a mom (on Twitter she’s @Wolfiesmom) and a cook and no stranger to the kitchen. Both her cookbook, “One Dish at a Time,” and her new cooking show for Food Network, “Valerie’s Home Cooking,” draw from childhood memories of the kitchen and cooking for her family and friends.
A family favorite? “Wolfie’s Thursday night meatloaf,” named after her son Wolfgang with Van Halen, to whom she was married for more than 20 years.
“Thursday nights seemed to be the nights with the most homework,” Bertinelli said during a recent visit to the Times Test Kitchen. “I wanted to be in the kitchen with him while he did his homework.” Besides, “meatloaf is the perfect comfort food.”
Bertinelli was raised in a family of cooks — and strong women.
“My great-grandmother Maria was a chef at a summer home in Italy,” Bertinelli said. She also ran a gelato cart, saving money to come to the United States after her husband passed away. “She came in 1915, boarding a ship just a week after the Lusitania was sunk. That didn’t stop her.”
Bertinelli recalls her mother, aunts and grandmother gathering in the kitchen to cook for extended family, watching the women make dishes like gnocchi and cappelletti. “I’ve loved cooking since I was a little girl. This is totally natural for me.”
Today she continues to gather with friends and family to make many of the same dishes, savoring traditions — and passing them on. “Meatloaf can be seen as old-fashioned, but it brings back so many good memories,” she says.
Her meatloaf is turkey-based, but she likes to fold in chopped pancetta for added richness. She places the meat in a large bowl, adding grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, onion, garlic, ketchup, breadcrumbs and spices. Bertinelli also includes chopped fresh parsley, which lends bright color and flavor. Finally, she likes to add a touch of balsamic glaze or vin cotto to lend a little tang to counter the richness.
Bertinelli mixes the ingredients together by hand. “I like to feel my food. Eventually you’re going to have to get your hands in there, so you might as well do it now.” She smiles with a Barbara Cooper-worthy smile.
“There’s something about food,” Bertinelli says. “Serving it to the people you love, with the love you put into it. There’s nothing like it.”
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Wolfie’s Thursday Night Turkey Meatloaf
1 hour, 20 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
2 slices soft white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
8 thin slices pancetta (about 4 oz.), finely chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, pushed through a press
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. ketchup, divided
2 Tbsp. balsamic glaze or vin cotto, if desired
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Combine the bread and milk in a large bowl and soak for 10 minutes. Add the turkey, eggs, cheese, pancetta, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon ketchup, balsamic glaze (if using), parsley, oregano, dried bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well with your hands.
Shape into an 8-inch by 5-inch loaf and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and slather the remaining ketchup all over the top of the loaf. Bake until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf reads 165 degrees, about 45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf and set it aside to rest for 10 minutes, then transfer to a platter and serve.
Note: Adapted from a recipe by Valerie Bertinelli in her cookbook, “One Dish at a Time.” She writes, “The memory is so vivid: I’m standing at the kitchen counter, mixing breadcrumbs, onions, ground turkey, cheese, eggs, and seasoning, while Wolfie sits at the kitchen table doing his homework. They’re some of the fondest memories I have of his childhood — and I’m certain half of America can relate to this scene. Back then, I relied on a repeated weekly menu, which is how this meatloaf earned its name. It makes excellent sandwiches the day after it is baked.” Balsamic glaze and vin cotto can be found in select gourmet markets as well as online; to make balsamic glaze, gently simmer balsamic vinegar until it reduces to a syrup-like consistency.
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