Meatball Sandwiches with Tomato-Cream Sauce, Mozzarella, and Pesto, from Gael

Meatball Sandwiches with Tomato-Cream Sauce, Mozzarella, and Pesto, from Gael

From Plated meal-kit service, made 6-11-19. LOVE the sauce, could eat it plain! Not low-calorie!

Plated comments: "Italian meatball subs rank pretty high on our list of all-time sandwich greats.
This version is our favorite one yet, with all the essentials: tender roasted meatballs, red sauce, and plenty of mozzarella. We add a splash of cream to enrich the marinara as it simmers, then drizzle over pesto after baking for a one-two sauce punch."

1 yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2 demi-baguettes
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
12 ounces ground beef
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
1 ounce heavy cream
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons pesto

1. Prepare ingredients
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Peel onion and finely chop. (Note: REEEEEEALLY FINE, and use less if making for Rob. Or sub in onion powder.) Mince garlic. Slice baguettes open horizontally, if they arrived whole, keeping 1 edge intact. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Form and bake meatballs
In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons onion, half of garlic, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper as desired. Pat beef dry with a paper towel and add to bowl. Using your hands, mix well, then form into 6 equal balls, about 2 inches thick (see recipe tip). Arrange meatballs on prepared baking sheet, spacing apart as much as possible. Bake until slightly browned and cooked through, 15–18 minutes.

3. Make tomato-cream sauce
While meatballs bake, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. When oil is shimmering, add remaining onion and remaining garlic; sauté, stirring, until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and flavors have melded, 5–6 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in Parmesan and half of cream (see recipe tip).

4. Assemble sandwiches
Once baked, carefully halve meatballs on sheet (so they fit in the sandwiches). On a clean, dry surface, arrange baguettes cut-side up. Spread half of tomato-cream sauce inside baguettes, dividing evenly (save remainder for the next step). Add 6 meatball halves to each baguette. Discard foil from sheet and add sandwiches (see recipe tip).

5. Bake meatball sandwiches
Spoon remaining tomato-cream sauce over meatballs in baguettes, then sprinkle over mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and baguettes are golden, 5–6 minutes. (This is a great time to get ahead on dishes.) 6. Plate meatball sandwiches Once sandwiches are baked, drizzle over pesto. Halve meatball sandwiches crosswise and divide between serving plates. Dig in!