If you like a good meatball sandwich then you'll love these party-perfect meatball sliders. The meatballs are made with a combination of beef and pork so they are very tender. The homemade puttanesca is the icing on the cake so to speak. It has just the right balance of flavors and doesn't overpower the tasty meatballs.
Puttanesca Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
1 can (28 ounce size) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Meatballs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon canola oil
15 dinner rolls or slider buns, split in half
For the sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft. Stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper, and crushed fennel.
Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes then add the tomato sauce, capers, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Give the sauce a stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, gently combine 1/2 of the Parmesan, the panko, milk, egg, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper, beef, and pork in a large bowl. Do not overmix or the meatballs will be tough.
Gently shape the meatballs into 1 1/2 inch sized balls (a large ice cream scoop works great for this).
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and place the meatballs (in batches if needed) in the skillet. Turn as needed to brown the meatballs on all sides. Remove the browned meatballs from the oil with tongs or slotted spoon and place in the simmering sauce.
Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
When ready to serve, place one meatball on the bottom half of each bun. Spoon some of the puttanesca sauce over the top of the meatball and sprinkle with some of the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place bun top over the meatball and serve immediately. You can use long appetizer picks if needed to hold the meatball between the bun halves.
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