The Meatball Sub of My Dreams

The meatball sub of my dreams

As the summer turns to autumn and the days get shorter and cooler, I find myself with an urge to fill up the freezer for winter.  One of the first things I make is a stash of meatballs and tomato sauce which can quickly be defrosted and turned into a quick and hearty meal when it’s just too cold to leave the house.  As well as this, they can be used to make one of the greatest sandwiches ever invented: the meatball sub. 

I first encountered this Italian-American creation at the Southampton branch of Subway in the 1990s during the dark days of sandwiches when few were available outside of chain restaurants, supermarkets and what you could buy in the buffet carriage of the train to Waterloo.  20 years, a move to London and two trips to New York later, not only have I tried many far superior examples, I have also perfected my own.  It seems fairly straightforward; a simple combination of meat, bread, melted cheese and sauce, but there are a few pointers that can turn a meatball sub into a thing of beauty.

A quick google search will bring up a number of recipes for this most delectable of comfort foods.  Reading them and tweaking them will lead you to the combo that is just sheer perfection.  Below is not a recipe for my own meatball sub, but instead a few pointers from years of trying to get it right.  Seriously, there are few things better on a cold autumn day. 

The Meatballs
I use this recipe by Polpo.  I have experimented with meatballs of various sizes, but have found that the best ones for a standard-sized submarine roll are 35g balls.  The best thing about these meatballs are that they are baked in the oven, rather than cooked in a pan, which gives them a lovely soft texture.  If you like the crispy edges, by all means, fry them instead.  They use both beef and pork mince, which gives a lovely depth of flavour and stops them being too dry.  The addition of garlic and chilli flakes makes them extra special.

The Sauce
The traditional sauce for a meatball sub is marinara, however as I always make large quantities of meatballs and sauce for the freezer, I tend to use what I have rather than make a whole new batch of sauce especially.  This  great recipe, also by Polpo, that uses both fresh and tinned tomatoes.  Once the meatballs have been poached in the sauce, I pick them out and arrange them in the sub before ladling a little sauce over the top.

The Cheese
Parmesan, or a similar hard cheese, is the best option here as the strength means that a little goes a long way.  You can also use a decent strong cheddar if you have one, although many meatball sub purists may wince at this suggestion.  Always finely grate and add after the sauce.

The Bread
Arguably the most important part of the meatball sub experience, only a white submarine roll is acceptable here.  One of the best ones I have found is a cheapo 2-pack from Sainsbury’s, it is just the right size and has that lovely dusting of polenta on the top which gives the otherwise soft sandwich a bit of crunch.  Slice the submarine roll in half lengthways and scoop out some of the bread from the inside.  This creates a groove for the meatballs to snuggle into and a neater sandwich.  You don’t need all that bread after all.

Other Additions
It’s up to you whether you add any salad.  Many don’t, but I always feel a little undernourished without at least a little something green, so add a single layer of lettuce leaves (soft part only) under the meatballs.  Because neither my sauce nor my meatballs contain any basil, I also like the addition of a few torn basil leaves.  Other salad items don’t really work.  Black pepper is essential.