messy meatball sliders

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Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step 2

Line a rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper. Add 1 pound ground beef to the center of it and add 2 tablespoons pesto, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to combine everything together, then smush it into a rectangle slightly larger than the 12-pack of slider buns (I hold the buns over top to compare).

Step 3

Use a long serrated knife to cut the whole 12-pack of sweet rolls in half to make a giant top bun and a giant bottom bun. Go really slowly while you do this to try to make the top and bottom as even as possible. If you totally whiff and end up with lopsided buns, who cares. Place both the top and bottom buns cut-side up on a separate baking sheet. Spread a nice thin layer of pesto over both cut sides.

Step 4

Bake the beef patty (on the oven’s lower rack) for 10 minutes. After the beef has cooked for 5 minutes, add the sheet pan with the buns to the upper rack, letting them cook for the second 5 minutes.

Step 5

While the patty and buns are cooking, slice the mozzarella ball into very thin slices. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a bowl in the microwave or in a small skillet.

Step 6

Now’s also the time to throw together a simple salad if you want to, using whatever the hell you have in the fridge. Dress it by tossing it with a big pinch of salt, really good olive oil, and either lemon juice or the fanciest vinegar in the pantry.

Step 7

Pour the excess grease off of the beef patty and blot it dry with paper towels.

Step 8

Use a spatula and your hands to lift the giant beef patty onto the giant bottom bun. Spoon a nice messy layer of marinara sauce (about 1/3 cup or so) over top. Note: Only put marinara on as many sliders as you think your family will eat right away. The marinara will make them soggy after a while so it’s best to eat these immediately!

Step 9

Layer the mozzarella slices over top of the marinara. Flip the top bun on top. Brush the top bun all over with the melted butter then sprinkle it with everything bagel seasoning. Cover the entire sheet pan with foil.

Step 10

Bake for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Then take the foil off for ONE MINUTE! JUST ONE MINUTE OR THEY’LL BURN! SKIP THIS STEP IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO SIT BESIDE THE OVEN AND WAIT FOR ONE MINUTE. Sorry for yelling at you but when one of you inevitably lets your tops burn, well, I tried!

Step 11

While they’re in the oven, pour some marinara into a few bowls and microwave them in 20-second spurts until warm.

Step 12

Let the giant slider cool for several minutes before you cut into it, or the cheese will just slide all over the place. Slice into 12 sliders. Serve with the warm bowls of marinara for dunking and the salad, if you made one.

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