Rock the Rolls and Make Your Own Bread for Meatball Subs

I’m making meatball subs this week. You may think that meatball subs are strikingly similar to my sausage and peppers, but this is entirely different. This time, I also baked the rolls!

This was my first foray into bread baking and the first time that I used live yeast so I was pretty nervous right up until I took the fresh rolls out of the oven. I chose a recipe for Hoagie Rolls based on the total time needed to prepare them; I wanted a recipe that would take about an hour since I was going to make them after work and eat them for dinner that night. This recipe is fantastic for a beginner!

Below are some of the highlights of the make your own bread process:

• My yeast bubbled with the addition of water and sugar – proving that it was alive and well!

•  Here’s the dough ready to rise.

•  After 40 tense minutes or waiting, the dough had risen!

• Hoagies are formed and ready to bake.

•  Success! The lighting isn’t the greatest in this photo; the rolls were a nice golden brown.

The meatballs are, like many of my favorite dishes, not something I have a recipe for – they’re just something I make with what I have on hand. Here’s (approximately) what you need:

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons dried Basil
• 2 tablespoons dried Oregano
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
• Half of a large white onion, minced
• 1 ½ cups Ricotta cheese
• Salt to taste

This was the first time I included Ricotta in my meatballs – it was at the suggestion of a coworker, and it was an amazing addition!

Sauce

• Tomato Sauce – I used about 40 ounces
• Half of a large white onion, minced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

Here’s what you do:

Meatballs

• In a large bowl, combine the beef, basil, oregano, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion, cheese, and salt.
• Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Form into individual meatballs – about 2 inches in diameter.
• Fry the meatballs on medium heat until, rotating as necessary to cook evenly.

Sauce

• Saute the garlic and onions in olive oil for about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce to the pan and salt to taste.
• Allow the sauce to simmer while you prepare and cook the meatballs.
• Once the meatballs are evenly cooked, you can add them to the sauce and simmer until the bread is ready to serve.

Baking my own bread was a super satisfying. I was able to take a few simple ingredients and make a fairly substantial part of my meal. As with all the recipes I post, I encourage you to try these at home and make them your own.

For more on bread-making techniques, try one of The Chopping Block's bread making classes like our Artisanal Breads this fall.