meatball sandwiches

Ed and I were watching an episode of Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives the other night and he got all gushy over a meatball sandwich from some place in New York. So, of course, the next night I made these. It's so easy, basically making a meatloaf into little balls and smothering them in tomato sauce.

Like usual, and like always, I used turkey meat. You can make these meatballs however you usually make your meatloaf, but leave out ketchup if you usually include it.

I roll my meatballs about the size of something just larger than a golf ball because when I load them into the rolls, I cut them in half so they lay flat. Of course, you can make smaller meatballs if you'd like.

Some people bake their meatballs before simmering in sauce, and others like to drop them directly into sauce to cook. I prefer to cook mine in a pan to get that crispy outside before covering in sauce.

Something to keep in mind is that you don't have to cook the meatballs completely through because they will cook in the sauce as they simmer. Cook in the sauce as long as you'd like, because the longer they simmer, the more tender they'll get.

You can use hoagie rolls or baguette, whatever you'd prefer for bread. Top with cheese and extra sauce, pop under the broiler for a klik and chow down.

Meatball Sandwiches
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 32 oz. jar tomato sauce
1 baguette
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic and spices. Handle as little as possible, mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Preheat cooking pan with olive oil on medium heat. Rolls meat mixture into golf ball sized balls and place preheated pan. Cook balls in oil for 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Lower heat in pan to low. Cover meatballs in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until balls are cooked through and tender. Cut each meatball in half and place into a sliced baguette. Top sandwich with extra sauce and shredded mozzarella. Place in oven under the broiler on low. Keep close watch on bread for toasting. Allow time to cool. Enjoy!