Meatball Sliders

Start by making the sauce. In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until they’re fragrant and the onion just starts to become translucent. Pour in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper then add the dried parsley and basil. Continue simmering the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally.

To make the meatballs, combine the ground beef, egg, green pepper, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, fresh basil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Use your hands to combine all the ingredients, being careful to not overwork the meat. Form the meat into balls, about 3 tablespoons of meat in each ball. Press a small cube of mozzarella into the center of the meatball and form the meat back around the cheese, making sure the meat completely covers the cheese.

In another large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the meatballs in the pan and allow them to brown slightly before trying to flip them over. Cook for about 3 minutes per side. They don’t need to cook all the way through because they will finish cooking in the tomato sauce. Add them to the sauce and continue cooking on low heat for about 20 minutes.

To make the pesto, add fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and salt and pepper to a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while pulsing. You can add a tablespoon or 2 of water if you want to thin out the pesto.

To assemble the sliders, cut the dinner rolls in half lengthwise and butter the inside and outside of the roll. Place the rolls in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Cook for about 4 minutes. Take the rolls out of the oven and place a meatball onto the bottom half of the roll. Top the meatball with a spoonful of sauce and a slice of provolone cheese. Lightly sprinkle the top half of the roll with a parmesan cheese to form a cheesy crust. Put back in the oven for about 4 minutes, keeping the tops of the buns separate from the bottoms. Once the sliders are out of the oven, top with a spoonful of pesto, place the top on the roll and serve.