Meatball Sandwiches

So, I was originally going to post a recipe for enchiladas (well, my version of them), but since it’s Super Bowl weekend, I figured meatball sandwiches were more fitting.  I mean, what guy wouldn’t like to bite into a delicious meatball sub, while watching the big game?  Or what woman, for that matter?  These really are simple, and you can easily adjust the recipe for as many or as few as you want. 

First, we’ll start with the meat.  I used one pound of lean ground beef.  I always use organic beef.  I know it costs more, but if you haven’t tried it, you should.  The taste, in my opinion, is so much better, and if you put lots of onions and stuff in it, it brings the price down. 

Anyway, back to cooking.  When making a meat mixture, I like to use my stand mixer.  You could, of course do it by hand, but I’m lazy like that.  Throw the meat into your mixing bowl with an egg.  And mix on low speed until completely combined.

 

Dice a medium onion, half of a bell pepper, and 3 or 4 cloves of garlic and throw them all in the bowl.  Mix on low speed just until evenly distributed.  You don’t want to smash things up too much. 

For making the meatballs, I like to use a cookie scoop.  It’s easier to get them roundish, and they’re all pretty much the same size.  Don’t fret if they’re not perfect.  They’ll taste fabulous, regardless of what they look like. 

Once you’ve turned the entire meat mixture into balls (yes, I realize that somewhere in this post, I am inevitably going to say something that sounds dirty), slide the whole group of them into a hot pan that’s been coated with 2 or 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. 

Sear the meatballs on at least 2 sides.  Don’t skip this step, it is important for overall flavor and for helping the balls stay together.

Once the balls are nicely browned (oh boy), open a jar of homemade marinara. 

You do have homemade marinara, right?  No?  Ok, since we haven’t covered how to do that yet, store bought will have to do.  Open a pint jar of whatever your favorite is, and pour it over the meatballs.  Stir gently.  We want to try to keep the balls intact as much as possible.

   Cover and simmer for a good 45 minutes or so, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking or burning. 

After that time, they should look something like this…

Are you drooling yet?  The next step is slicing the buns.  My local grocery store makes FABULOUS ciabatta rolls.  You’re bound to see me using them repeatedly on here.  If you can find a bun that is a little crust, a little chewy, but soft with big air pockets on the inside, you’re on the right track.  Spoon enough meatballs onto the bread to cover most of the surface, but not so many they’re just going to fall out as soon as you pick it up.  Top with a slice of provolone or mozzarella and the top bun.  The heat from the mixture will soften the bread and melt the cheese. 

You may find them easier to eat if they’re cut in half, or if you want them to be more of an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre for the game, you could put a single meatball on a small roll and that would work just fine. 

Enjoy the meal and the game!  Go… oh, who am I kidding, I don’t even know who’s playing in the Super Bowl.