Name: Baked pork and veal meatball sub
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 50 ml olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 800 gm canned cherry tomatoes; 500 ml (2 cups) passata; 100 ml red wine; 2 fresh bay leaves; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or to taste; 2 medium crusty baguettes, split lengthways; To serve: shaved parmesan and wild rocket; Garlic butter; 150 gm softened butter; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 40 gm finely grated parmesan; ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of 2; Pork and veal meatballs; 1½ tbsp olive oil; ½ onion, finely diced; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 60 gm mild pancetta, diced; 500 gm each minced pork and minced veal; 100 gm firm ricotta; 30 gm each finely grated parmesan and pecorino; 30 gm fine fresh white breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp each finely chopped oregano and flat-leaf parsley; 2 tsp each finely chopped thyme and rosemary; 1 egg; To taste: freshly grated nutmeg

Baked pork and veal meatball sub

These baguettes are rich and comforting, with the added satisfaction that comes with shaping, frying and simmering your own meatballs.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

40M

Cook

1H 10M

Total

1H 50M

Ingredients

50 ml olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

800 gm canned cherry tomatoes

500 ml (2 cups) passata

100 ml red wine

2 fresh bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or to taste

2 medium crusty baguettes, split lengthways

To serve: shaved parmesan and wild rocket

Garlic butter

150 gm softened butter

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

40 gm finely grated parmesan

¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of 2

Pork and veal meatballs

1½ tbsp olive oil

½ onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

60 gm mild pancetta, diced

500 gm each minced pork and minced veal

100 gm firm ricotta

30 gm each finely grated parmesan and pecorino

30 gm fine fresh white breadcrumbs

2 tbsp each finely chopped oregano and flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp each finely chopped thyme and rosemary

1 egg

To taste: freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1.For pork and veal meatballs, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic and pancetta, and sauté until tender and fragrant (4-5 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cool completely, then add remaining ingredients, season to taste and mix well with your hands to combine. Roll into golfball-sized balls, place on a tray, cover and refrigerate to rest (30 minutes).

2.Heat half the oil in a casserole, add onion and garlic and sauté until tender (4-5 minutes). Add cherry tomatoes, passata, wine and herbs, season to taste and simmer until beginning to thicken (15-20 minutes). Season to taste and set aside.

3.Preheat oven to 160C. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan, add meatballs and brown all over. Add to tomato sauce, transfer to oven and bake, turning meatballs occasionally, until cooked through and sauce is thick and rich (30-40 minutes). Remove from oven, discard herbs and stir in vinegar.

4.For garlic butter, beat ingredients in a bowl to combine and season to taste.

5.Heat grill to high. Spread garlic butter all over the inside of both baguettes and grill until golden and bubbling (2-3 minutes). Fill baguettes with meatballs, top with sauce, shaved parmesan and rocket, cut each into 2 or 3 portions and serve hot.