Italian Meatball Subs I.E. My Husband Is The Ultimate Sandwich Maker
Ever since Breadsmith opened up in Brooklyn, sandwiches have been my thing. Finding any possible excuse to indulge in their amazing sourdough has gotten my creative juices flowing. This idea though, wasn't even mine. It was my husband's.
Every week, on Sunday or Monday I sit down with my handy dandy list maker (one of many because I'm obsessed with lists) and make a weekly menu. Okay, so it doesn't happen every week and it didn't even start until a few weeks ago, but the point is that it happens, and that is super impressive. I always start off by asking my husband for any suggestions he has for dinners that week. Usually I don't get something along the lines of, "Whatever you wanna eat, I'm good with.". But this week was different. This week I got a response. "Meatballs".
When I first got married, I made my mother's awesome Sweet and Sour Meatball Recipe. My husband went wild for them. He said they were the best he ever tasted which back then, was still a very surprising thing to hear. But these meatballs are not those meatballs. Sorry folks, but I lied before. Only by omission though. When I asked about dinner before, I didn't only get "Meatballs", I also got "Subs". Now you can't put sweet and sour meatballs on a sub. Well, actually you can, but not the ones we were thinking of.
Coming up with an epic sandwich isn't as easy at it looks. You cant just put an egg on top of something fried with any random sauce and a regular pickle and call it a day. There is a very specific science involved. Some careful calculations needed to be made. These subs needed a full fledged Italian meatball recipe. The kind that would make Momma proud! That and Daiya Provolone. Eating milk and meat together isn't allowed in the Kosher world, but it doesn't mean we have to give up on the melty goodness found on a meatball sub. Enter Daiya Slices. They don't taste exactly like cheese, but they do give the same idea with the same gooeyness and a similar flavor. It was my husband who figured this all out. When it comes to the Ultimate Sandwich he's definitely the master. If he ever opens his own sandwich shop, that is one line your going to want to get on.
He finished the sandwich off by putting it all on a Greek Ciabatta from Breadsmith topped with parsley. Nothing else, because he knows sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go. It was epic! But then again, it usually is.
Meatball Subs
- 1 pound ground chicken or beef
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup soy milk
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (you may replace this with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon salt)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until incorporated. Roll meat into balls and refrigerate until ready to use.
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 large tomatoes, diced
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more.
Assembly:
- 1 good quality roll (ciabatta, sourdough, or soft baguette)
- 1-2 slices Daiya Provolone
- 3-4 meatballs (recipe above)
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Lay the "Cheese" on the roll and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is mostly melty. Top with meat balls, sauce and chopped parsley. Close the sandwich and enjoy!