Lamb Meat Loaf with Feta Cheese

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1/3  cup  pine nuts
• 2 1/2  pounds  lean ground lamb
• 1  green bell pepper, diced
• 1  onion, diced
• 2  to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons  pepper
• 2  teaspoons  dried basil
• 1  teaspoon  dried rosemary
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
• 1  (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• Garnishes: dried parsley flakes, fresh parsley sprigs

Preparation

Bake pine nuts in a shallow pan at 350°, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until toasted.

Combine pine nuts and next 9 ingredients; press half of mixture into a lightly greased 9- x 5-inch loafpan. Sprinkle with cheese, and press remaining lamb mixture over cheese.

Bake at 375° for 1 1/2 hours; remove from pan, and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Pour tomato sauce over top; bake 10 more minutes or until done. Garnish, if desired. Serve with toasted pita bread.