Italian Recipes - Shortcut Meatball Panini

Ingredients     

• frozen Italian-style cooked meatballs (about 1 pound)

• 1 15-ounce can pizza sauce

• 4 Italian rolls or hoagie buns

• 4 slices provolone cheese

• 1 cup loosely packed large fresh basil or spinach leaves

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Method:

1. Preheat the broiler. In a large saucepan combine meatballs and pizza sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

2. Cut a thin slice from the top of each roll; hollow out each roll leaving a 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick shell. (Discard or save bread from rolls for another use).

3. Place hollowed-out rolls and roll tops, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove roll tops from baking sheet.

4. Spoon meatballs and sauce into toasted rolls. Top with provolone cheese. Broil about 1 minute more or until cheese is melted.

5. To serve, arrange basil or spinach leaves on top of cheese and replace roll tops.