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Meatball Po'Boy with Vodka Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations"


List of Ingredients

â—¦  2 pounds lean ground beef
â—¦  ¾ pound ground Italian sausage
â—¦  4 large eggs
â—¦  1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦  ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
â—¦  ¼ cup chopped parsley
â—¦  ½ tablespoon chopped basil
â—¦  1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
â—¦  1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦  1 teaspoon garlic powder
â—¦  ¼ teaspoon black pepper
â—¦  2 loaves po'boy or French bread
â—¦  Vodka Sauce, for dressing sandwich (recipe follows)
â—¦  10 slices baby Swiss cheese


Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, sausage, eggs, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, Creole seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Roll into 1 ½-inch balls and place close together in greased 9 x 13-inch pans. Bake for 35 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.

To serve, cut open bread, making sure not to cut all the way through, spoon on meatballs and Vodka Sauce, and top with Swiss cheese. Slice into 10 servings.

Serves 10



Vodka Sauce:

â—¦  3 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦  1 cup chopped sweet onion
â—¦  4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦  ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
â—¦  1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
â—¦  â…“ cup vodka
â—¦  1 tablespoon tomato paste
â—¦  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
â—¦  1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦  1 teaspoon pepper
â—¦  ¼ cup chopped basil
â—¦  ¾ cup half-and-half
â—¦  2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

Add red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and vodka and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add in tomato paste, vinegar, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer tomato mixture to a food processor, add basil, and purée until smooth. Return sauce to pan and stir in half-and-half over low heat. Cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 cups