- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb. spicy pork sausage - or mild Italian pork sausage if spicy isn't your thing
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper - optional
- 4 6-inch hoagie rolls
- 4 T. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
- 1 c. tomato sauce - choose your favorite variety
- 8 oz. pepper jack cheese, divided - choose a different cheese if spicy isn't your thing
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
To make the meatballs, combine the ground beef and pork sausage, egg, and crushed red pepper and mix thoroughly either in a stand mixer or by hand. Using an ice cream disher, form 1 1/2-2 inch meatballs and set them on a baking sheet, allowing about 2 inches of space between the meatballs. (I like to place the meatballs on a silicone baking mat to make cleanup easier.) Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until they are fully cooked.
During the last 15 minutes of meatball baking, slice the rolls open lengthwise, hollow out some of the bread if desired, spread the softened butter over each piece of bread, sprinkle the garlic powder and oregano over the bread, dividing relatively evenly between each piece. Bake on a large baking sheet until the bread is nicely toasted the cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.
Spread a little tomato on the bottom half of each roll, top each with three meatballs, layer on more marinara, and top with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. Serve while still hot. If there are any unused meatballs, refrigerate them and use within a week (they are excellent on spaghetti!).
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes