Three-Nut Meatless Loaf

About once a year, I spend the time to make a meatless meatloaf from nuts. It's very good, rich and filling, and so satisfying with a mushroom gravy. I think this recipe is from a Ukranian or Georgian cookbook. Be sure to chop the onion and celery teensy. Big chunks of either create a weak structural point in each slice and they can fall apart.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  cup walnuts
• 1  cup pecans
• 1 1⁄2 cups  almonds (blanched or whole) or 1 1⁄2 cups  about 3/4 cup  almond meal
• 1 1⁄2 cups  soft  whole wheat bread crumbs
• 3⁄4 cup  minced onion
• 1⁄2 cup  minced celery
• 3  tablespoons  minced fresh parsley
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh dill weed
• 1  teaspoon paprika
•  salt and pepper
• 3  eggs, beaten
• 2  cups skim milk

Directions

1. Chop or process the walnuts and pecans to get pieces about 1/8-inch. (You're trying to preserve some texture to simulate ground meat.).
2. Grind the almonds to a meal. Combine the chopped nuts with the almond meal, bread crumbs, onion, celery, parsley, dill, paprika, salt and pepper. Add the eggs.
3. Pour in milk and stir. Add just enough to make the mixture moist but not soupy, firm not sticky.
4. Spoon into a very well oiled loaf pan and smooth the top. (A glass pan gives a browner crust.) Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 and abke 124 minutes longer until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Cool upside down for 5 minutes. Loosen with a knife and remove. Cool completely before slicing.