Meatball Sub
This Meatball Sub was one of the best things I'd ever eaten at the time of creating this recipe. It takes some effort to make, but the result is well worth the effort.
Ingredients
SUB ROLLS
- 380 g water , 86°F/30°C
- 12 g instant yeast
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 525 g bread flour
- 12 g kosher salt
- untoasted white sesame seeds
MEATBALLS
- 200 g whole milk
- 50 g sour cream
- 1 egg
- 150 g white bread, cut into cubes
- 450 g 80/20 ground beef
- 450 g 80/20 ground pork
- 125 g grated parm
- 15 g fresh parsley, chopped
- 15 g garlic, minced
- pinch chile flakes
- 3 g black pepper, ground
- 18 g kosher salt
- 15 g lemon juice, juice ½ lemon
SAUCE
- olive oil
- white onion, small diced
- 15 g garlic
- kosher salt
- chile flakes
- 28 oz canned tomato puree
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- sugar
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
- full fat mozzarella, sliced (2 slices per sandwich)
- giardinara, chopped finely (recipe below)
GIARDINIERA (makes 1qt/ltr)
- 150 g cauliflower, small dice
- 150 g celery, small dice
- 150 g green bell peppers, small dice
- 150 g carrots, small dice
- 75 g serrano, or another hot pepper of choice, sliced
- 400 g white distilled vinegar
- 200 g water
- 24 g kosher salt
- 300 g light olive oil
- 150 g extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For accuracy, I highly recommend using measurements in grams as listed rather than volumetric (cups/tsp.)
SUB ROLLS
- Add water, yeast, sugar, flour, & salt to mixer with dough hook. Mix on high for 6 minutes. When ready dough should be formed into a ball that clears the sides of mixer and should pass the tug test. The tug test is when you pull on a small grip of the dough. Tug on it two or three times and if it doesn't tear, then it passes.
- Place dough into a bowl and round it into a tight ball by using the 10-2 movement. To do this, start with your right hand at the 10 o'clock position and grab the edge of the dough and move your hand to the 2 o'clock position while also tucking the dough underneath itself. This should create tension over the surface of the dough. Repeat this 3-4 more times until the dough is a nice taught ball. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a lid and let sit at room temp for 45 minutes.
- Perform a strength building fold on the dough by grabbing one edge of the dough and pulling it up until you feel resistance and then fold it over the center of the dough. Do this 3-4 more times around the dough. Next flip the dough over so the seam side is down and round it into a nice taught ball using the 10-2 movement from before. Cover and allow to sit at room temp again for another 45 minutes.
- Flip dough onto floured cutting board and de-gas well by pushing down on it and slightly flattening it. Divide the dough into 6 pieces (about 150g each). Reshape each dough into a taught ball. To do that, flatten each portion of dough and fold each side into itself. this is similar to the stretch and fold just on a smaller scale. when all the sides of the dough have been folded in, flip it over so the seam side is down. Cup your hand over the top of the dough but make sure the edge of your hand on your pinky side is touching the table at all times and move your hand in a circular motion until the dough has formed a nice taught ball.
- Cover dough balls with damp towel and rest for 15 minutes.
- Prepare 2 trays/plates: 1 with white sesame seeds, the other with a wet towel.
- Spray/oil baguette pan (if you don’t have a baguette pan, proof in couche and bake on sheet tray)
- To shape the balls into rolls. To do this, one at a time, de-gas the dough and slightly flatten it. Grab the end of the dough furthest from you and roll it into itself like a pinwheel towards yourself. Each time you fold it into itself, be sure to press it firmly into the dough. Place shaped roll onto a wet towel, seam side up, then into sesame seeds. Place in baguette proof pan, seed side up. Cover with a towel and proof for 45-60 minutes.
- Score each roll by taking a serrated knife or razor and scoring the top diagonally. Mist the rolls well with water. Load pan into 400°F/205°C oven to bake for 18-20 minutes, spritzing rolls and oven again before closing door.
If you are new to making dough from scratch, I recommend watching my Youtube video linked above to familiarize yourself with the process.
MEATBALLS
- Preheat oven to 475℉/245℃
- Whisk milk, sour cream, and egg. Add bread. Whisk/stir until pasty and broken down. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Divide into fifteen 100-105g balls. Work and roll balls between your hands.
- Place each ball on parchment lined sheet tray.
- Bake at 475°F/245°C for 25 minutes, flipping after 15minutes. Bake until they are nice and golden brown.
- SAUCE
- Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium. Add in a long glug of olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and pinch of salt. Sweat, stirring every couple of minutes until onions have softened.
- Add a pinch of chile flakes and allow to bloom for about a minute. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low to reduce for about 25 minutes.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
- Gently stir cooked meatballs into pot of sauce. Taste for seasoning. Stir in pinch of salt and pinch of sugar.
- Roast in 350°F/175°C oven to reduce for 20-25 minutes.
- To prep sub rolls, halve then remove about half of bready filling from the top piece.
- Put 2 pieces of mozzarella on bottom piece and place under broiler on high until cheese is melted and bread is a little toasty (30-50 seconds).
- Spoon giardiniera on top of cheese followed by 3 saucy meatballs.
- Top with toasty top bun.
GIARDINIERA
- Chop all veggies into a small dice and mix to combine.
- Combine vin, water, salt in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, add veg, stir, turn off heat and allow to cook as it comes to room temp.
- Transfer to container and refrigerate 2 days.
- After 2 days, strain liquid off veg. To the strained veg mix, add oils & store in fridge until ready to use.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
