Lunch · Dinner · Italian

Meatball marinara subs

Name: Meatball marinara subs
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500g Beef mince; 40g Panko breadcrumbs; 1 Egg; 40g Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated; 3 cloves Garlic, crushed; 2 tsp Dried oregano; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 500g Passata; 30g Fresh basil; 4 Sub rolls, add on the day; 2 balls Mozzarella, add on the day

Soft beef meatballs in a garlicky tomato sauce, stuffed into sub rolls under melted mozzarella.

Start to finish: 50 min
Hands-on: 23 min
In the fridge: 3 days
Freezes: Yes

Contains gluten, dairy, eggs

Ingredients

4 portions

500gBeef mince
40gPanko breadcrumbs
1Egg
40gItalian-style hard cheese, finely grated
3 clovesGarlic, crushed
2 tspDried oregano
2 tbspOlive oil
500gPassata
30gFresh basil
4Sub rolls, add on the day
2 ballsMozzarella, add on the day

Plus salt, pepper and water.

Method

1
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan). Mix the mince with the panko, egg, cheese, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt and plenty of pepper. With wet hands, roll into 20 walnut-sized balls and spread them out on an oiled tray.
2
Bake for 15 minutes, until browned.
15 min, mostly hands-off
3
Meanwhile, warm the rest of the oil in a wide pan and fry the other 2 garlic cloves for a minute. Add the passata, the rest of the oregano, half the basil, torn, 150ml water and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
12 min, mostly hands-off
4
Tip the meatballs and any juices into the sauce and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the meatballs are cooked through with no pink in the middle.
10 min, mostly hands-off
5
Leave to cool, then pack into tubs. They keep 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Keep the rolls, mozzarella and the rest of the basil for the day.
10 min, mostly hands-off

On the day

Reheat the meatballs and sauce in a pan until piping hot. Heat the grill, fill each split roll with 5 meatballs and some sauce, tear over the mozzarella and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, until melted. Finish with basil leaves.

Cook’s tip

Roll the meatballs with wet hands. The mince will not stick to your palms, and they come out smooth and round.