For this edition of recipe of the week we have the Meatball Madness sandwich from Sir Benedict’s Tavern. I met with Antonino Coppola and Stephanie Longstreet, the owner and manager of Sir Ben’s respectively. Since Antonino and his wife Aura have taken over the business in January 2009, they have introduced an Italian theme to the previously British restaurant. One of the highlights here is Antonino’s version of the classic meatball sub.
(Co-owner Antonino Coppola and manager Stephanie Longstreet, being briefly distracted from their work)
The Meatball Madness is a sandwich that is very simple to construct, but difficult to make. It only has three ingredients: beef meatballs, marinara sauce, and a slice of provolone cheese. These ingredients are all made from scratch and are served on a fresh, locally made, white roll. The difficulty comes in when preparing the meatballs and marinara. Though these recipes are relatively simple and it is easy to make your own tasty meatballs and sauce, people like Antonino are PhDs on the subject and have been developing their versions of these recipes for years. For example, one unique thing that goes into Antonino’s meatball is a small amount of diced fresh jalapeños to give a subtle amount of kick.
We began by combining the beef meatballs and marinara sauce, both prepared fresh daily.
He then loaded this classic combination into a locally made white roll, and topped it with a slice of provolone cheese.
The sandwich is then put into the oven to broil for five to ten minutes.
Done!
Antonino recommends enjoying a Minnesota stout or a Blackwater IPA with the meatball madness.
Have an idea where I should go next? A recipe that I should explore? Feel free to contact me and the LakeVoice team with any and all suggestions!