Be it a football party or entertaining for the holiday season, these are great little “bites” to serve.  Make the meatballs with a gentle touch and don’t make them packed too hard. These are cooked right in the sauce. YUMMY !

 

• 2 slices white bread, cut into 1 inch pieces,
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 8 oz. lean ground beef
• 8 oz. ground pork
• 4 oz. ground veal
• 1/2 cup finely grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (1 oz.)
• 3 tbsp. coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large egg
• pinch of pepper
• 6 cups Marinara Sauce (homemade or bottled)
• 2 dozen Brioche buns, split
• 1  1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup-finely grated Romano cheese
• Small basil leaves (or larger ones, torn)

Soak the bread in the milk for about 5 minutes, now mix together the bread, meat, cheese, parsley, egg and pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pour a coffee, tidy the work-space…whatever…then roll out 24 x 1 oz. meatballs. They should look like golf balls.

Pour the marinara sauce in a large pot and when at a simmer, add the meatballs and cook on for 20-25 minutes.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to 400 degrees, arrange the buns, cut side up on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place 1 meatball, 1 tbsp. of the sauce and 1 tbsp of the mozzarella cheese, along with a 1 tsp of the romano cheese on the bottom half.

Bake for about 3 minutes until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven, add a basil leaf on top and place the bun top on. Put on a tray and, with a handful of plates and napkins placed on the table, present this.

Ohhhs and ahhhs for sure. The smells, looks and tastes will make you the hit for the day. Yeah, you deserve that glass of wine (or beer).