Meatball Sliders

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez often cooks for hordes of children, including her three-year-old son, Alex, and she knows that meatballs are always an easy sell. Inspired by the tiny meatball sandwiches served at New York City’s Little Owl restaurant, she came up with these kid-size treats that can be eaten with one hand (leaving the other one free to wreak kid-size havoc).

Yield:

Makes 20 Small Sandwiches

Ingredients

1. FOR TOMATO SAUCE
2. =====================
3. 2 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes in juice
4. 1/4 cup olive oil
5. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
6. 5 garlic cloves, minced
7. 1 teaspoon sugar
8. 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
9. .
10. FOR MEATBALLS
11. =====================
12. 3 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (6 slices firm white sandwich bread)
13. 2/3 cup whole milk
14. 1 lb ground pork
15. 1 lb ground beef chuck (not lean)
16. 4 garlic cloves, minced
17. 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano (1/4 lb)
18. 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
19. 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
20. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
21. 2 cups vegetable oil
22. .
23. FOR ASSEMBLING SLIDERS
24. =====================
25. 20 small (2-inch) soft buns or rolls, split

Directions

1. MAKE TOMATO SAUCE:
2. Purée tomatoes with their juice, 1 can at a time, in a blender and transfer to a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onion until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomato purée, sugar, bay leaf, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 50 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
4. MAKE MEATBALLS WHILE SAUCE SIMMERS:
5. Stir together bread crumbs and milk in a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes. Add meat, garlic, cheese, eggs, parsley, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and blend with your hands until just combined well (do not overmix). Form level 1/4-cup portions into meatballs.
6. Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then fry meatballs, about 6 at a time, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels with a slotted spoon.
7. SIMMER MEATBALLS IN SAUCE AND ASSEMBLE SLIDERS:
8. Add drained meatballs to tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are heated through.
9. Assemble sliders with a meatball and 1 tablespoon sauce per bun, securing each with a wooden pick.

Notes

COOKS’ NOTE: Meatballs in sauce can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered. Reheat before serving.