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Neely's Meatball Sliders

This recipe outlines how to make flavorful meatball sliders using a blend of ground pork and Italian sausage. Meatballs are formed, seared, then simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Serve the finished meatballs and sauce on soft rolls, garnished with fresh basil and shaved pecorino.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Large Bowl
  • 1 Platter
  • 1 Large Skillet
  • 1 Medium Saucepan
  • 1 Spoon

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 3/4 pound ground pork
  • 3/4 pound Italian pork sausage casings removed
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 6 garlic cloves chopped, divided
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 20-ounce can tomato puree
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • Soft rolls split horizontally
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Shaved pecorino

Instructions
 

  • Combine the ground pork and pork sausage, red pepper flakes, 2 cloves of the chopped garlic, panko, grated cheese, eggs, parsley, kosher salt and black pepper, to taste, in large bowl. Form into 2-inch-meatballs and set aside on a platter.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides. Transfer to plate.
  • Meanwhile, start the sauce. Add the 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and the remaining garlic. Saute until the onion begins to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season the onions with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the tomato puree and the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, stir in the meatballs and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
  • To serve, put a meat ball on the bottom of each roll and drizzle lightly with some sauce. Top with a basil leaf and some shaved pecorino. Cover with the roll tops and transfer to a platter. Serve warm.

Notes

Ensure meatballs are browned well on all sides in the skillet before adding to the sauce; this builds flavor. For the sauce, allow ample simmering time (45 minutes) for the flavors to meld and the meatballs to cook through and become tender. If the sauce becomes too thick, a little water or broth can be added. Using good quality canned tomatoes will significantly improve the sauce's depth of flavor. Don't overcrowd the skillet when browning meatballs; cook in batches if necessary.