NEELY'S MEATBALL SLIDERS

Neely's Meatball Sliders image

Provided by Patrick and Gina Neely : Food Network

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 garlic cloves, chopped, divided
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 (20-ounce) can tomato puree
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Soft rolls, split horizontally
Fresh basil leaves
Shaved pecorino

Steps:

Combine the ground pork and pork sausage, red pepper flakes, 2 cloves of the chopped garlic, panko, grated cheese, eggs, parsley, kosher salt and black pepper, to taste, in large bowl. Form into 2-inch-meatballs and set aside on a platter.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides. Transfer to plate.
Meanwhile, start the sauce. Add the 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and the remaining garlic. Saute until the onion begins to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season the onions with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the tomato puree and the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, stir in the meatballs and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
To serve, put a meat ball on the bottom of each roll and drizzle lightly with some sauce. Top with a basil leaf and some shaved pecorino. Cover with the roll tops and transfer to a platter. Serve warm.