Four large meatballs with provolone, marinara, and parm on a 10" Amoroso roll. Served with fries.
The meatball parmigiana sandwich -- the meatball parm, the meatball sub -- is one of the most iconic Italian-American sandwiches in existence, found everywhere from corner delis to white-tablecloth restaurants. It takes the components of a meatball dinner and packs them into a roll: meatballs, red sauce, melted cheese. It is about as common and recognized as an Italian-American sandwich can be, and is a clear catalog dish. Technique is mostly assembly of well-made parts. The meatballs -- a blend of meats, breadcrumb, egg, cheese, herbs -- are simmered in marinara so they stay moist and absorb the sauce. They are halved or left whole, packed into a sturdy Italian roll, ladled with marinara, blanketed with mozzarella, and run under the broiler so the cheese melts and lightly browns. The roll should be sturdy enough to hold up to the sauce without collapsing. Ingredient rationale: meatballs as the heart, simmered in sauce for moisture; marinara as the binding red sauce; mozzarella, melted under the broiler, for the gooey "parmigiana" finish; a sturdy Italian roll built to withstand the saucy filling. It is a hearty, saucy, cheesy sandwich -- a meatball dinner made handheld.