Modes

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed if necessary
• 1/2 small onion, grated
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, GF works great
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Marinara

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4–5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (see Chef’s Note)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 large sprigs of basil, about 15 leaves total

Sandwiches

• 6 French hoagie-style rolls, cut in half
• 6 Tablespoons softened butter
• 1 clove garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
• 6 Tablespoons grated Parmesan
• fresh basil, for garnish

Chef’s Note

• You can use any high-quality canned Italian plum tomatoes; just crush them by hand in their juice first.

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, panko, milk, egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, and basil. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and about 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, gently stir the mixture until well combined, taking care not to compress it. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the marinara by heating the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Scatter the garlic slices around the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the slices are sizzling and starting to brown. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden brown. Carefully add the tomatoes, stir well, and increase the heat to medium-high. Submerge the basil stalks into the sauce and add salt and pepper. When the sauce begins to simmer, cover, reduce the heat, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the cover and continue cooking for about 10 minutes more to slightly thicken the sauce. Remove the basil, stir well, and keep warm.

Preheat the Wolf Oven to 375°F on Convection mode. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place racks in positions 3 and 5. Scoop and gently roll the chilled meat mixture into 1 1/4-inch meatballs (about 1 1/4 oz each), forming about 30–32 meatballs.

Place the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place the sheet into the Oven on rack position 3 and bake until cooked through, about 15–17 minutes. Set aside.

For the sandwiches, line a roasting pan with foil and a rack. Lay the rolls out on the rack. Pull or cut a slight valley in the bottom halves of the rolls to help hold the meatballs. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter and garlic paste. Divide the garlic butter and spread it in an even layer on the cut sides of the tops and bottoms of the rolls. Place 5 meatballs on each bottom half and top with mozzarella.

Set the Oven rack to position 5 and heat the Wolf Oven on Broil-High for 2 minutes.

Carefully place the roasting pan into the Oven and broil for 2–4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tops are toasted. Turn off the Oven and carefully remove the pan. Transfer the sandwiches to a plate and top with warm marinara, Parmesan, and fresh basil.