Meatball Hero Recipes

MINI MEATBALL HEROES

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: Whisk the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in the beef, veal, and pork. Using about 2 tablespoons of meat for each, shape the meat mixture into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
• Heat the oil in heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Working in 2 to 3 batches, add the meatballs and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pour off any excess oil. Return all the meatballs to the pan. Add the Marinara Sauce. Simmer over medium-low until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The meatball mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)
• To make the sandwiches: Spoon the hot meatballs with some sauce over the bottoms of the rolls. Place 1/2 slice provolone on top of meatballs and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Spread more sauce over the roll tops, then fold the tops of the rolls over and serve.
• In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

MEATBALL SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs, and place in a baking dish.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil, and season with garlic powder and salt. Slip the baguette into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatball's time, or until lightly toasted.
• While the bread toasts, warm the spaghetti sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the sauce. Spoon onto the baguette and top with slices of provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly, cut into servings, and enjoy!

EASY MEATBALL HERO SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss onion, bell pepper, and zucchini with oil and oregano. Bake 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle vegetables with vinegar, and season with salt; toss to coat. Push vegetables to one side of pan; place meatballs on other end.
• Bake until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve in rolls.

MEATBALL HERO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees;.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss onion, bell pepper, and zucchini with oil and oregano.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle vegetables with vinegar, and season with salt; toss to coat.
• Push vegetables to one side of pan; place meatballs on other end.
• Bake until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Serve in rolls.

HUNTER'S HERO

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute onions, bell peppers and garlic. After 2 minutes, add salt and cook until tender. Remove from pan and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, pour milk over bread crumbs and let soak for 5 minutes. Remove from milk and squeeze out excess milk, until bread is moist but not soggy. In a large bowl, mix together beef, pork sausage, soaked bread, cooled vegetables, basil, oregano, parsley, pepper, chili flakes, grated Parmesan and egg. Gently roll into 2-inch balls.
• In same large saute pan used for vegetables, heat over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook meatballs, browning completely until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, using an instant-read thermometer.
• Meanwhile, remove inside dough from hoagie rolls. To assemble heroes, fill hoagies with 4 meatballs each. Drizzle with 1/4 cup Marinara Sauce and top with 3 slices of mozzarella cheese. Place heroes on a sheet pan under the broiler until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Top each sandwich with 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan.
• In medium saucepan, heat olive oil, add onions and cook over medium to low heat until onions are transparent. Add garlic and cook until almost brown and then add tomatoes. Cook for 1/2 hour over low to medium heat, then add basil and oregano and continue to cook for 30 minutes longer. In a food mill or a blender, puree into a sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE MEATBALL HEROES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix sausage, 1/2 cup marinara, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, and 2 tablespoons basil in large bowl. Using wet hands, shape mixture into 8 meatballs. Bring 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons basil, remaining marinara, and meatballs to boil in large skillet. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, turning often, about 20 minutes.
• Place baguette bottoms on baking sheet; spread each with about 2 tablespoons sauce from skillet. Cut meatballs in half in skillet; overlap 4 halves on each baguette bottom. Spoon remaining sauce over meatballs, then sprinkle mozzarella over, dividing equally. Bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and basil and cover with baguette tops.

MEATBALL HERO SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray heavy large baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Combine ground beef, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, chopped fresh parsley, crushed cornflakes, minced garlic, dried oregano, ground white pepper and salt in large bowl and blend thoroughly. Using moistened hands, shape meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch rounds and place on prepared sheet, spacing evenly. Bake meatballs until just firm to touch and cooked through, about 20 minutes
• Bring marinara sauce to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Add meatballs to sauce and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
• Gently press center of bottoms of rolls to compact slightly. Spoon 5 or 6 meatballs into depression in each roll. Spoon enough sauce over to coat. Place tops of rolls over and serve.

MINI MEATBALL HERO SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl combine the first 9 ingredients (up to the marinara sauce) mix well with clean hands to combine, if the mixture is too soft then add in a bit more cornflake crumbs.
• Shape into 1-1/2-inch balls, then place on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes or until cooked and browned.
• Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer on top of the stove.
• Add in the cooked mini meatballs and simmer for about 20 minutes (you can refrigerate this and then use the following day, just rewarm over low heat before using).
• With your fingers press down the bottom part of each bun to create a depression in the middle.
• Spoon about 5-6 meatballs into the depression and then spoon the sauce over to coat.
• Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese, if desired.
• Place the tops of buns over and enjoy!