INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

5 garlic cloves, divided

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

2 tablespoons chopped basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground beef/pork (or veal) meatloaf mix

1 (24-ounce) jar fire-roasted tomato and garlic sauce (or your favorite tomato sauce)

12 King’s Hawaiian mini hoagie rolls (Or your favorite mini rolls).

RECIPE

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 glove grated garlic, parsley, oregano, and basil. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and remaining 4 cloves minced garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Once combined, add the cooked onion and garlic, egg, salt, pepper, meat, and 1/2 cup ricotta mixture.
Mix, using your hands, until just combined.
Roll into 1-inch balls to make 24 meatballs.
Place meatballs on a parchment-lined sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until browned. Meatballs will not be cooked all the way through.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to a large skillet with the tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the remaining ricotta and stir to combine into the sauce.
Stuff the meatballs into the hoagie rolls. Each roll can hold 3 to 4 meatballs each.
If desired, return to the oven to toast, about 5 minutes. This is recommended if the meatballs were made ahead.
Garnish with chopped parsley to serve.

The best part about football season starting up? The food. In most cases, this means wings, pizza, and copious amounts of beer, but on special occasions (Bears vs. Packers is one such occasion) you might want to roll out the red carpet of appetizers. And what better to provide guests than comfort-food favorites made miniature?

Between sliders, pigs-in-blankets, and jalapeño poppers, there is one glaring white space in the world of mini foods: hoagies. When I saw the King’s Hawaiian package of mini hoagie rolls, I knew I needed to use them for something, and for awhile I figured it would be little lobster rolls (creative, I know). But somewhere along the way I got a craving for meatballs and realized.. what if that could be my hoagie appetizer?

I love a giant, moist, melt-in-your-mouth Italian meatball. And by giant, I mean enormous — a quarter pound, at least. I crave these often and have mostly mastered how to get them right, so I figured I’d try the same techniques and make them tiny, instead. Luckily, it still works.

The first key is using a lot of fat. Milk, egg, cheese. Ricotta is used here for creaminess, and it is perfect for really achieving that melty texture in both the ball and the sauce.

The second is the panade, which is bread (or breadcrumb) combined with milk. The panade prevents the meat from seizing up, meaning that the meatballs retain their moisture and most of their size. This is important when working with beef and, especially, pork.

Lastly is the cooking method. I bake mine first to drain off some of the grease, then add the par-cooked meatballs to a sauce to finish cooking. Yes, it’s a little time-consuming, but I promise this is far better than tossing them in sauce at the last minute. Simmer low and slow all day if you dare, and you’ll have the best meatballs ever.

To find the appropriate bread, check out the bakery section of your local store. Small baguettes, dinner rolls, or brioche hot dog buns will all work well here. Of course, look for small, 3-to-4 inch rolls for the “mini” effect. I used King’s Hawaiian, which now sells adorably perfect mini-hoagie rolls. Crusty bread works well but isn’t necessary. If nothing else, grab a baguette and split it into 3-inch sections. Voila -- mini rolls.

Enjoy.

Serves: 12 sandwiches

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes