Meatball Sandwich

Serving Size : 5 - 10
Preparation Time : 25 minutes
Total Cooking time: 20 minutes

This is probably one of my favorite sandwiches because of its appeal to every one of the five senses. First you smell the aroma of perfectly seasoned meatballs in a cheesy marinara sauce, complimented by the toasted bread. Next, your eyes set upon the beautiful vibrant red of the sauce, the deep caramel brown of the meatballs, all offset by the stark white of the melted provolone cheese. Next, your sense of touch is greeted by the warmth radiating from the perfectly toasted hoagie roll in your hands. Finally your sense of taste is treated to the combination of savory tomato sauce, the slightly smoky flavor of provolone, the spicy garlic tones of the meatballs and the crunch of toasted bread. Truly a feast for the senses!

On a side note the meatball recipe here can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and is also delicious served over pasta.

To prepare:
Combine the ground beef, cracker and chex crumbs, eggs, and remaining meatball ingredients in a large steel bowl. Mix well with a large fork or spoon and set aside in refrigerator 20 minutes to chill. Next, Roll meat mixture into 1-½" balls and sauté in a lightly oiled non stick pan until well browned on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside in a warm oven. Drain the excess oil from the pan and brown the remaining ground beef.

Stir in the crushed garlic, dried basil and black pepper. Next add in the pasta sauce and diced tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Add in the red wine and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes then add the meatballs back into the sauce mix well and leave on low to simmer.

To assemble the sandwiches open the hoagie rolls and brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil, next cover with 2-3 slices of provolone and place under a broiler 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Remove from oven and spoon 5-6 meatballs along with a ladleful of sauce or to taste, garnish with sliced olives, parmesan cheese, and peperoncini peppers and serve open faced with plenty of napkins.