Ingredients:
Sauce:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 C tomato sauce
1 5.5oz can tomato paste
½ C Marsala wine
1½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Meatballs:
2 slices D’Italiano white or whole wheat bread
½ C milk
1 lb lean ground beef
½ lb pork Italian sausage, bulk or casings removed
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ C fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
¼ C parmesan, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Assembly:
4-6 D’Italiano Sausage Buns
Butter or garlic butter
1 C mozzarella or provolone, shredded
¼ C parmesan, shredded
¼ C Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and allow them to become translucent, stirring often.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, oregano, basil, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a small bowl break bread slices into pieces. Add the milk, allowing it to be absorbed into the bread. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
In another bowl add ground beef, sausage meat, egg, parsley and parmesan. Gently squeeze excess milk from bread pieces and add to the meat mixture breaking it into crumb size bits. Mix meat mixture together just to combine – do not over mix or else the meatballs will become tough.
Preheat oven to 375F. Using a 2oz scoop, form the meatballs and place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
Split the sausage buns and butter on the inside of both halves. In a skillet toast the inside of the buns. Remove from the pan and place on a baking sheet, lined with foil.
On each bottom half place 4 – 5 meatballs, ladle about ½ C sauce on each and top with ¼ cup mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan. Turn the oven to broil and place the baking sheet in the oven until the cheese has melted – about 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Place the top half of the buns and serve.
Serves 4-6
NOTE: extra sauce can be refrigerated or frozen for future use