Meatball Sub

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1/3 cup whole milk, warmed

1 slice white bread, crumbled

1 pound ground beef (80 to 85% lean)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, for coating

1/3 cup olive oil, for searing

Method

Prepare the meatball mixture: 

Add the warm milk to a large bowl with the crumbled bread and let soak for a minute or two. Then add the ground beef, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, salt, and oregano. Mix with your hands until combined; it’s okay if there are a few bread chunks still.

Shape the meatballs: 

Using wet hands, shape the mixture into about 16 even meatballs—each should be around 1 ounce, or 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Coat each meatball in breadcrumbs and set it on a baking sheet while you shape the rest of the meatballs.

Sear the meatballs: 

Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s glistening hot, add the meatballs, searing for a few minutes on every side. Once seared, transfer the meatballs to a medium saucepan and add the marinara sauce.

Assemble and bake the meatball subs: 

Preheat the oven to 450˚F. 

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Using a bread knife, slice the hoagie rolls down the center, leaving the two sides attached, and open them up like a book. Add a little butter or drizzle of oil to the skillet and add the rolls cut side down. Cook until the hoagies are toasted, about 2 minutes. You will likely need to toast them 1 or 2 at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.

Scoop 4 meatballs out of the marinara sauce and chop them in half. Add them to a toasted hoagie and spoon about 1/2 cup of sauce over the top of the meatballs. Top with 2 slices of provolone. Repeat with the remaining rolls and meatballs.

Bake the hoagies until the cheese is well melted, about 5 minutes. Top with basil and banana peppers, if desired. Serve immediately.