Pizza-Stuffed Meatball Hoagies

By ninebirch

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean (at last 80%) ground beef
• 1/2 cup Progresso® Italian style bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 12 slices pepperoni, finely chopped
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 16 fresh mozzarella cheese balls (1 inch)
• 4 hoagie buns
• 1 cup marinara sauce, heated
• Fresh basil leaves

Preparation

Step 1

1 Heat oven to 400°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil.
2 In large bowl, mix beef, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the dried basil, salt, garlic powder, pepperoni and egg just until blended. In small bowl, place remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs.
3 Shape about 2 tablespoons beef mixture around each cheese ball; roll in bread crumbs. Place in pan.
4 Bake 20 minutes or until no longer pink and meat thermometer inserted in meatball (not in cheese) reads 160°F.
5 With serrated knife, cut buns horizontally in half, cutting to but not completely through one long side. Spoon about 2 tablespoons warm marinara sauce into each bun; top each with 4 meatballs, remaining marinara sauce and the fresh basil.