Broiler-Melt Meatball Sub with Whipped Ricotta

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The sandwich that leftover meatballs were made for. The roll gets toasted first so it never goes soggy, a layer of lemony whipped ricotta glues everything in place, and the mozzarella goes under the broiler until it blisters and clings to the bread instead of sliding out on the first bite. Twenty minutes from fridge to dinner.

Ingredients

• 12 cooked meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches each (leftover or from the quick recipe below)
• 2 cups marinara or leftover tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 4 sturdy sub rolls or hero rolls, 6 to 7 inches
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup pickled banana peppers or pepperoncini, sliced (optional)

• 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. If you have leftover meatballs, skip to step 3. To make them from scratch, heat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, stir the panko and milk together and let sit 5 minutes until pasty. Add the ground beef, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and mix with your hands just until combined — stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of egg.
2. Roll into 12 balls about 1 1/2 inches across (a scant 1/4 cup each), space them out on the sheet, and bake 15 to 17 minutes, until browned and 160°F at the center. Leave the oven on.
3. Warm the sauce: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 45 seconds, just until the garlic smells sweet and turns pale gold — do not let it brown. Add the marinara and oregano, bring to a bare simmer, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Slide the meatballs into the sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them once, until they're heated fully through and glossy with sauce. If the sauce tightens up, splash in 2 tablespoons of water.
5. Meanwhile, make the ricotta layer: in a bowl, whisk the ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt hard for about 30 seconds, until it lightens and looks smooth and spreadable.
6. Set an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler and turn the broiler to high. Split the rolls most of the way through, leaving a hinge. Spread the cut sides with softened butter and arrange cut-side up on a baking sheet. Broil 1 to 2 minutes, watching constantly, until the surfaces are dry and lightly golden. Rub the toasted faces with the cut garlic clove.
7. Spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of whipped ricotta on the bottom half of each roll, all the way to the edges — this is the gasket that keeps the sandwich from sliding apart.
8. Nestle 3 saucy meatballs into each roll, pressing them gently into the ricotta so they sit still, then spoon a little extra sauce over the top. Pile the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan over the meatballs and let some cheese drape onto the bread edges.
9. Broil the assembled sandwiches 2 to 4 minutes, until the mozzarella is fully melted with brown blistered spots and the cheese has fused to the roll. Watch the whole time; broilers vary wildly.
10. Let the sandwiches rest 2 minutes so the cheese sets, then scatter with torn basil and pickled peppers, close, and cut each in half on a diagonal. Serve immediately with extra sauce for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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