Meatball Hoagie Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups prepared tomato and basil marinara sauce
• 6 thin slices smoked Provolone cheese
• 6 small submarine sandwich or hoagie rolls, lightly toasted
• Freshly chopped parsley for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a half sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil; set aside.

Combine the ground beef, ground pork, seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and beaten egg in a large bowl, kneading well with clean hands, until blended. Use a small (1 ounce) scoop (or pinch off pieces manually) to portion the meat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in 24 equal pieces. Roll the pieces of meat into tight balls. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the meatballs are in the oven, heat the marinara sauce to boiling in a large, covered saucepan set over medium heat. Once the meatballs have baked for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer meatballs to the pot of sauce. Stir to coat the meatballs with sauce. Return the lid to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the meatballs in the sauce for 10 minutes or until tender and cooked through.

Place four meatballs onto each toasted sandwich roll, spooning a little sauce over each. Cover the saucy meatballs with a thin slice of smoked Provolone cheese. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Let the sandwiches rest for a minute to allow the cheese time to melt. Alternately, place the assembled sandwiches onto a baking sheet and warm in a 350º F oven for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.