Meatball Grinder

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup garlic basil spread for recipe link see footnote
• 1 cup bread crumbs soft
• 1 cup bread crumbs dry
• 2  eggs 
• 0.5 cup basil fresh divided chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 pound ground beef 
• 4 servings salt and ground pepper black to taste
• 1 pound sausage sweet italian
• 1 tablespoon penzey's southwest seasoning italian
• 1 cup tomatoes prepared
• 2 tablespoons marsala wine 
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese divided
• 0.5 cup milk 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1  onion sliced
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese divided grated
• 1  bell pepper red sliced
• 1 teaspoon pepper flakes red
• 1  serrano chiles sliced
• 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded divided
• 4  hoagie buns split italian-style

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
2. Combine soft bread crumbs, dry bread crumbs, and milk in a large bowl and allow to soak until the bread crumbs absorb most of the milk, about 10 minutes.
3. Add ground beef, Italian sausage, 1 cup marinara sauce, eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and mix until thoroughly combined. Form into 16 large meatballs.
4. Heat 1 cup olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs until browned, about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
6. Bring 1 cup marinara sauce to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat.
7. Add cooked meatballs and heat through, about 5 minutes.
8. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir onion, red bell pepper, and serrano pepper in the hot oil until onion softens, 5 to 6 minutes.
9. Add Marsala wine, salt, and black pepper; cook until wine has evaporated and onion turns golden, about 10 minutes.
10. Spread each hoagie bun with 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese and 1 tablespoon garlic basil spread.
11. Place four meatballs and a spoonful of marinara sauce on top.
12. Sprinkle each sandwich with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
13. Place sandwiches onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and buns are toasted, about 5 minutes. Top each sandwich with 1/4 of the onion mixture; garnish each sandwich with 2 tablespoons of basil and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.