SPICY MEATBALL SLIDERS WITH QUICK PICKLED CABBAGE
Are you ready for some football? Well to be completely honest, I’ve never been a fan of football. I just don’t get it. I know, I know. What I do get though is food. So I do love a good football party be it tailgating or counter gating. I just made that up and it’s totally a thing now. We’re going to kick off football with a meatball. A meatball slider that is. Not just any ordinary meatball slider. Oh no, this one is simply sophisticated and is going to knock the football pants off all your friends and family.
Start off by mixing together ground sausage, egg, milk and panko. If you’re feeling adventurous you can grind your own meats together using the KitchenAid® Food Grinder attachment for your KitchenAid® Stand Mixer.
Next take a large cookie scoop and scoop out the meatball mixture. Pop them onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. These meatballs are the perfect size for the pretzel buns that are going with this meatball slider. It’s a nice hearty two-bite slider.
While the meatballs are cooking, pop the pretzel buns into the oven and prepare the tomato sauce.
Now it’s time to prepare the quick pickled cabbage. Finely shred a small head of red cabbage.
Mix together vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and then add olive oil. Pour the mixture over the shredded cabbage and toss to coat.
Add the cooked meatballs to the tomato sauce you’ve prepared in your KitchenAid® Cast Iron Cookware.
To assemble: Cut pretzel buns in half. Place a meatball onto bottom of bun. Top with pickled cabbage and a basil leaf.
We used the KitchenAid® Architect® Series II Dishwasher with Ultra-Fine Filter to clean up the mess we’ve made. It’s a dream machine and tackled even the dirtiest and sauciest of dishes like it was nothing. All while being quiet as a mouse. Honestly I wouldn’t even know it was on if I didn’t see the blue lights in the front.
Now who’s ready to kick off football with a meatball slider?
SPICY MEATBALL SLIDERS WITH QUICK PICKLED CABBAGE
Makes 15 slidersINGREDIENTS
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
1 egg
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup Panko
1 small red cabbage – finely sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt/pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups prepared tomato sauce
15 mini pretzel slider rolls
15 fresh basil leaves
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix together: sausage, egg, milk and panko until well combined.
Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out balls of sausage mixture onto a rimmed non-stick baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.
Note: Heat slider rolls and tomato sauce while meatballs are cooking.
While meatballs are cooking: Add red cabbage into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together vinegar and sugar until combined. Season with salt/pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil until combined. Pour over cabbage. Set aside.
When meatballs have finished cooking transfer them to tomato sauce pot. Turn to coat.
To assemble: place one meatball onto bottom of slider roll (add extra sauce if desired), top with fork full of pickled cabbage and a fresh basil leaf. Place top of slider bun on. Continue until all sliders are assembled.
