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1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.
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2
Rinse the spinach well in cold water and drain.
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3
Place in a large frying pan, cover, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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4
(It is not necessary to add liquid; the spinach will cook in the water clinging to the leaves.)
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5
Transfer the spinach to a colander and douse with cold water to chill.
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6
Drain and press with your hands to extract most of the moisture.
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7
Coarsely chop the spinach.
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8
Place the meat in a large bowl, followed by the chopped spinach, breadcrumbs, garlic, measured salt and pepper, and nutmeg (no need to mix yet); set aside.
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9
Place the celery, parsley, and milk in a blender and blend until pureed.
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10
Add to the meat mixture.
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11
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until foaming.
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12
Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
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13
Add to the meat mixture.
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14
Add the eggs to the meat mixture and, using clean hands, mix everything until evenly combined (dont squeeze or overwork the mixture).
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15
If desired, test for seasoning by forming a small patty and cooking it in the small skillet over medium heat until no longer pink inside.
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16
Taste the patty and add more salt and pepper to the meat mixture as needed.
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17
Repeat the seasoning test as needed.
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18
Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, spread to the edges, and smooth out the top.
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19
Cover the meatloaf with the bacon slices, laying them lengthwise and side by side.
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20
Bake in the oven until just cooked through, turning the pan 180 degrees halfway through, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
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21
Pour off the excess fat and let the meatloaf stand for 20 minutes before slicing.
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22
If you choose, serve with tomato sauce.
