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Meatball Hoagies

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"This rustic recipe, combining zesty sauce and tender meatballs inside a crusty roll, all covered with melted cheese, would make any Italian nonna proud. Lighten up this ultra-enticing meal by making the meatballs with ground turkey or chicken."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon olive oil
â—¦ ½ cup minced yellow onion
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ ¾ cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
â—¦ ½ cup whole milk
â—¦ 1 large egg, beaten
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
â—¦ 1 pound ground beef round
â—¦ ½ pound each ground pork and veal
â—¦ 6 cups marinara sauce (homemade or purchased)
â—¦ 6 crusty Italian rolls, split
â—¦ ½ pound provolone or mozzarella cheese
â—¦ Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.
In a small frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, place the bread crumbs in a bowl. Add the milk and let stand for about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a sieve and drain, pressing hard on the bread to extract the excess milk. Add the soaked bread crumbs, egg, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper to the onion mixture and mix well. Add the ground meats and mix with your hands just until combined. Do not overmix, or the meatballs will be dense.

Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 18 meatballs, and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the tops are browned, about 20 minutes, then turn and bake until cooked through, 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven.

In a large saucepan, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the meatballs. Discard any fat on the baking sheet, add ½ cup boiling water to the baking sheet, and use a wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits. Pour into the marinara sauce and stir. Simmer until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Place the rolls, cut sides up, on another rimmed baking sheet. Place three meatballs on each roll, then spoon some of the sauce over the meatballs. Pour 2 cups of the remaining sauce into a bowl and keep warm. Reserve the remaining sauce for another use. Thinly slice the provolone and divide evenly among the sandwiches. Broil until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Using a large, wide spatula, transfer the hoagies to individual plates. Sprinkle each sandwich with Parmesan cheese and serve, passing the sauce on the side.

Makes 6 sandwiches