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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.
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Ingredients 

Makes 5 sandwiches + 1 extra roll SUB ROLLS

SUB ROLLS

  • 380 g or 1 5/8c water 86F/30C
  • 12 g or 3tsp instant yeast
  • 20 g or 1 3/4Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 525 g or 4 1/4c bread flour
  • 12 g or 2tsp salt
  • Untoasted white sesame seeds

MEATBALLS

  • 200 g 3/4c + 1Tbsp whole milk
  • 50 g or 1/4c sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 150 g white bread, about 6 slices, cut into cubes
  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef, .5kg
  • 1 lb 80/20 ground pork, .5kg
  • 125 g or 1 1/4c grated parm
  • 15 g or 1/4c fresh parsley, chopped
  • 15 g or 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • Pinch chile flakes
  • 3 g or 1.5tsp ground black pepper
  • 18 g or 1Tbsp salt
  • 15 g lemon juice, juice ½ lemon

SAUCE

  • Olive oil
  • White onion, small diced
  • 15 g garlic, 4-5 cloves
  • Salt
  • Chile flakes
  • 28 oz can tomato puree
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • sugar

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

  • Full fat mozzarella, sliced (2 per sandwich)
  • Giardinara, chopped finely (recipe below)

GIARDINIERA (makes 1qt/ltr)

  • 150 g or about 1 1/3c each of Cauli, Celery, Green Bell Peppers, Carrots
  • 75 g or 1/2 c serrano, or another hot pepper of choice
  • 400 g or 1 3/4c white distilled vinegar
  • 200 g or 3/4c water
  • 24 g or 1 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 300 g or 1 1/3c light olive oil
  • 150 g or 3/4c ex virgin olive oil

Instructions 

SUB ROLLS

  • Add water, yeast, sugar, flour, & salt to mixer with dough hook. Mix on high for 6min. When ready dough should be formed into a ball that clears the sides of mixer and should pass the tug test (see video @0:42).
  • Place dough into a bowl and round as shown in video @0:49. Cover and let sit at room temp for 45min.
  • Perform a strength building fold then round and tuck into a ball as shown @1:09. Cover and allow to sit at room temp again for another 45min.
  • Flip dough onto floured cutting board and degass well. Divide dough into 6 pieces (about 150g each). Preshape each piece as shown @4:20.
  • Cover dough balls with damp towel and rest for 15min.
  • 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)
  • Shape rolls as shown @5:12. Place shaped roll onto wet towel, seam side up, then into sesame seeds. Place in baguette proof pan, seed side up. Cover with a towel and proof for 45-60min.
  • Score rolls and mist well with water. Load pan into 400F/205C oven to bake for 18-20min, spritzing rolls and oven again before closing door.

MEATBALLS

  • 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 475F/245C for 25min, flipping after 15min.
  • SAUCE
  • ▪Olive oil
  • ▪White onion, small diced
  • ▪15g (4-5 cloves) garlic
  • ▪Salt
  • ▪Chile flakes
  • ▪28oz can tomato puree
  • ▪28oz can crushed tomatoes
  • ▪sugar
  • Preheat 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 pinch of chile flakes and allow to bloom for about a minute. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
  • Reduce heat to med low to reduce for about 25min.

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 350F/175C oven to reduce for 20-25min.
  • To prep sub rolls, halve then remove about half of bready filling from the top piece.
  • Put 2 pieces of mozz on bottom piece and place under broiler on high until cheese is melted and bread is a little toasty (30-50sec).
  • Spoon giard on top of cheese followed by 3 saucy meatballs.
  • Top with toasty top bun.

GIARDINIERA

  • Chop all veg into 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.
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