Meatball Parmigiana Hero

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
2-28oz cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 -12oz can tomato paste
4 cloves garlic chopped
½ onion finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt
black pepper
red pepper flakes
12 fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup white wine
4 tbs sugar

Meatball Ingredients:
2½ lbs meatloaf mix
¾ cup reggiano parmigiano grated cheese
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
¾ cup breadcrumbs
6 eggs
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves cut up small

Meatball topping:
2 large fresh mozzarella balls – sliced or shredded
¼ cup reggiano parmigiano
2 or 3 loaves of Italian bread – cut each loaf into 5 or 6 inch slices – for a total of 6 sandwiches
basil for garnish

Directions

Step 1 Start the sauce
1. In a saucepan, cover the bottom with olive oil. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.
2. Add chopped garlic and onion, sauté till onion is translucent and garlic is golden.
3. Shut off heat. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and white wine.
4. Mix and cook over a medium heat. Taste and adjust sauce. If needed, add more sugar, wine, salt or pepper.
5. Add the basil, cover and let simmer approximately 40 minutes.

Step 2 prepare the meat:
1. In a large bowl, combine the meatloaf mixture, cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley and eggs. Mix well, if the mixture is too soft add more breadcrumbs, a little at a time till desired consistency. The mixture shouldn’t stick to your hands.
2. Scoop up the meat mixture, about the size of your palm and start rolling into balls, yielding about 12 meatballs.

Step 3
1. In a large skillet, cover the bottom with olive oil and heat up.
2. Add the meatballs and start frying.
3. When the underside is done cooking, flip over to fry the top.
4. When meatballs are done frying move from skillet and place on a paper towel to drain.

Step 4
1. Line the bottom of a large casserole pan with a generous amount of tomato sauce.
2. Add the meatballs.
3. Cover the meatballs with tomato sauce.
4. Place the fresh mozzarella slices on each meatball.
5. Sprinkle reggiano parmigiano cheese on top.
6. Bake at 350F for approximately 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and fill each sandwich with sauce and two meatballs. The mozzarella cheese should remain on the top side of the sandwich.
8. Garnish each plate with basil.