Unbreaded

Weekend Recipe: Meatball Sandwich

Weekend Recipe posts are intended to give you a delicious sandwich you can try on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

A meatball sandwich is on the Mount Rushmore of sandwiches. It is an iconic image of what defines a “sandwich”. The classic combination of meat, bread and sauce that is in many ways so simple, yet so nuanced. The sauce has to be just right. The bread has to be the very best. And of course, the meatballs have to be soft, tender and flaky to the bite.

In Philadelphia, we are fortunate enough to have a world-class Italian bread bakery in Sarcone’s. I also made a fresh pot of sauce using crushed and pureed tomatoes, opting for a smoother, silkier consistency than the chunky, rustic sauce I tend to prefer with pasta.

Ingredients

- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 large onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup natural bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/2 cup basil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano
- 3 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black peper

Directions

1. Grate the onion and garlic and sautee in olive oil till translucent. Mince the herbs and combine all ingredients in large bowl. Form into balls about the size of a golf ball.

2. Place meatballs on a sheet pan in a 425 preheated oven for approx 4-5 minutes until balls are firm, but not fully cooked. Allow meatballs to cool for a few minutes and then gently add to pot of simmering sauce. Simmer sauce and meatballs together for at least 1 hour, longer is better.

3. When ready to serve, scoop the middle out of the bread to give room for meatballs and sauce. The sandwich should be stuffed to the point where every bite is meaty, but not overstuffed to the point that meatballs are falling out with every bite.