Grilled Meatball Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 large crusty baguette 
• 4 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp parsley fresh minced
• 1  garlic clove minced
• 1 kg ground beef 
• 4 servings kosher salt 
• 4 servings cooking oil for grill
• 0.3 cup panko bread crumbs ()
• 0.3 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated (1 oz/ 30 g)
• 4 servings basil pesto 
• 250 g provolone cheese thinly sliced
• 1 tsp pepper red
• 0.5 cup ricotta cheese (4 oz/125 g)

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• grill
• tongs

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, ricotta, Parmesan, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 2 tsp salt.
2. Mix gently just until combined; you don't want to overwork the meat. Form the mixture into 12 meatballs about the size of golf balls, putting them on a lightly oiled baking sheet as you work. Set aside at room temperature.
3. Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to high. Using a grill brush, scrape the heated grill rack clean. Rub the rack with oil. Arrange the meatballs on the grill rack without crowding. Using tongs, grill until browned evenly on all sides and cooked to medium, 8-10 minutes total, depending on grill temperature. Move any meatballs to a cooler area of the grill if they threaten to overbrown.
4. Transfer to a platter or clean baking sheet as they are finished.
5. Let rest for 5 minutes while you assemble the sandwiches.
6. Cut the baguette crosswise into fourths and split each piece horizontally.
7. Lay the pieces, cut side down, on the grill. Toast until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
8. Lay the provolone slices on half of the baguette pieces.
9. Place 3 meatballs on top of the cheese-lined baguette slices.
10. Garnish with the pesto and serve right away.
11. From This Is A Cookbook: Recipes for Real Life by Max Sussman and Eli Sussman. Photography Alex Farnum. Recipes and text © Copyright 2012 Eli Sussman and Max Sussman; images and illustrations © Copyright 2012 Weldon Owen, Inc. Published by Olive Press.