Puttanesca Meatball Sliders

Name: Puttanesca Meatball Sliders
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 16 fresh basil leaves about the size of rolls; 0 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper; 794 grams can whole peeled tomatoes, puréed; 1 Tbsp roughly chopped capers; 16 smalls (2 in. wide) soft dinner rolls, split with 1 side attached and broiled to toast; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 1 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed; 2 Tbsps chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 151 grams ground chuck; 151 grams ground pork; 5 servings SAUCE; 59 milliliters chopped pitted kalamata olives; 0 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoons kosher salt; 5 servings MEATBALLS; 59 milliliters milk; 2 Tbsps olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 118 milliliters panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs); 118 milliliters freshly grated pecorino cheese; 118 milliliters shaved pecorino cheese (use a vegetable peeler); 1 teaspoons red chile flakes; 59 milliliters vegetable oil; 5 servings SERVING

Puttanesca Meatball Sliders might be just the Mediterranean recipe you are searching for. One portion of this dish contains around 23g of protein, 38g of fat, and a total of 509 calories. This recipe covers 22% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe serves 5. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes. Head to the store and pick up milk, sauce, ground pork, and a few other things to make it today. It works well as a hor d'oeuvre.

Instructions

Make sauce: In a 4- to 5-qt. pan over medium heat, saut onion in oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, chile flakes, and fennel; cook until garlic softens, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, 15 to 25 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Red Pepper Flakes

Fennel

Garlic

Onion

Sauce

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Meanwhile, make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine egg, milk, and panko and let sit a few minutes. When crumbs are softened, stir in grated pecorino, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Meatballs

Pecorino

Parsley

Garlic

Pepper

Panko

Milk

Salt

Egg

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add meats, breaking up with your fingers, and mix well with your hands. With wet hands, roll meat mixture into 16 balls, each about 1 1/2 in. wide.

Ingredients you will need

Meat

Roll

Heat oil in a large, heavy frying pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, turning as needed, 6 to 8 minutes total; reduce heat if needed. With a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to paper towels.

Ingredients you will need

Meatballs

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Paper Towels

Frying Pan

Gently stir meatballs into sauce, return to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Meatballs

Sauce

To serve, put a basil leaf in each roll. Set a meatball and a generous spoonful of sauce on each basil leaf, then add a little pecorino. Close sandwiches with toothpicks if you like.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Basil

Meatballs

Pecorino

Sauce

Roll

Equipment you will use

Toothpicks

Serve with napkins.

Mastering meatballs. They sound rustic, but they're delicate things that suffer from over-handling. Here are tips for making them come out right.

Ingredients you will need

Meatballs

Mixing: Always start by mixing the bread crumbs (which keep the meatballs from getting tough), any liquids, and seasoningsthen add the meat. Stop when the mixture looks evenly blended; don't overwork it.

Ingredients you will need

Breadcrumbs

Meatballs

Meat

Forming: Dampen your hands with cold water to keep the meat mixture from sticking while you roll it into balls. If it's still sticky, let it sit for a few minutes in the fridge.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Meat

Roll

Browning: A good crust helps meatballs retain their shapeimportant if they're going to simmer in a thick sauce. If you plan to eat them on their own or add them to broth, though, a light pan-frying will do the trick.

Ingredients you will need

Meatballs

Broth