Stuffed Marinara Meatball Subs with Basil Pesto
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage casings removed
- olive oil
Marinara Sauce
- 1 bulb fennel cored and chopped
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 jars 24 oz. each, Marinara sauce, like Classico Cabernet Marinara
- 1 T Italian seasoning divided
- pinch sugar
Pesto
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 T olive oil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 oz shaved Parmesan
Sandwich
- French Bread loaf or submarine sandwich buns
- 4 Mozzarella Provolone or Fontina cheese slices
- 1-2 oz shaved Parmesan
Instructions
Meatballs
- Mix pork and sausage together and form into loose golf ball sized meatballs.
- Working in batches, brown meatballs in a little olive oil. Remove to paper towels and drain. Makes 36-40 meatballs, reserve half of meatballs and freeze.
Marinara Sauce
- Sauté fennel and onion in a little rendered sausage fat until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute or until fragrant.
- Place 1 jar of sauce in slow cooker. Add half of Italian seasoning and sugar.
- Add 16-20 meatballs. Top with fennel and onion.
- Add remaining jar of sauce, and sprinkle with remaining Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Pesto
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse. Makes about 1/2 cup
Sandwich Assembly
- Make a slit in buns or slice French bread vertically, leaving one end together.*
- Spread a little pesto inside bread and toast.
- Place bread or rolls in a baking pan and fill with meatballs and sauce.
- Top with cheese slices and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Place under broiler to melt cheese, watching carefully.
- Garnish with additional sauce and small dollops of pesto. Serves 4
Notes
*or serve meatballs and sauce in a bowl with pesto toasted bread on the side