Meatball Subs

1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra if desired
3 tea kosher salt
1 tea freshly ground black pepper
1 T olive oil
1 slice white sandwich bread
1/4 cup milk
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 small can (8oz) tomato sauce
3 T fresh chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, lightly chopped
2 large deli sub rolls
6 slices provolone cheese

Heat oven to 350°.  In a food processor, place diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, 1 and 1/2 tea kosher salt, and 1/2 tea black pepper.  Process on low for 5 seconds, until tomatoes are just slightly chunky.

In a medium sized pot, add tomato mixture from food processor and the can of tomato sauce.  Bring to a light boil over medium high heat then turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Wash, clean, and dry the food processor - you will be using it again.

In a small bowl, make a panade by adding 1/4 cup milk to the white sandwich bread.

Let the bread soak in the milk for 1 minute, then squeeze out the excess milk from the bread.

In the food processor, add the ground chuck and ground pork, the parmesan cheese, 1 and 1/2 tea kosher salt, 1/2 tea black pepper, and the panade.

Mix meat together in food processor by using ten one-second pulses.  Do not overmix!  After 5 pulses, if the mixture isn't coming together very well, use a spoon to scrape the sides of the processor and mix manually, then pulse 5 more times using the processor.

Do not over mix the meat.  It will come out gummy if  you do.

Take meat mixture out of food processor and make 10 approximately golf ball-sized meatballs.  Roll the meat balls in your palm to get a good round shape.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1 T oil over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add the meatballs and brown well on all sides.

Do not be afraid to get a good dark brown on the meatballs - that's where all the flavor is.

After the meatballs have browned on all sides, place the skillet in the oven and cook for 15 minutes (check on them after 10 minutes).  After they are finished, take the skillet out and turn the oven to broil.

Meatballs after finished cooking in oven.

Place the meatballs into the sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Slice the sub rolls and place on a baking sheet or cookie pan lined with foil.  Put under broiler and very lightly toast the bread.

After the bread has finished toasting, place 5 meatballs in each sub, then ladle the tomato sauce over them.

Sprinkle extra parmesan on top, if desired.

Place 3 slices of provolone on each sub, then put under broiler until the cheese melts.

There you have it.  The reason the meatballs are so good are because of the panade, which helps to bind them together but doesn't dry them out. You should also never make meatballs with just ground beef, the pork gives them a wonderful flavor.