Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed
- 1 shallot, very finely minced
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped (basil, parsley, etc)
- 1 lb ground chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil, for browning
For the Aioli:
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
- 2 tablespoons oil from jar of sundried tomatoes
- ¾ cup canola oil
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Serving:
- Slider buns
- Baby spinach
- Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil followed by a sheet of parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, ketchup, grated garlic, shallot, milk, eggs, and herbs until well blended. Gently fold in the ground chicken and mix until just incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. With damp hands, form the mixture into 2-inch round meatballs.
- Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Keep warm until you are ready to serve.
For the Aioli:
- Place the sundried tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove and place in a small bowl.
- Return the processor bowl to the machine (no need to wipe out), and add the egg yolks and grated garlic. Pulse to combine.
- With the machine running, VERY SLOWLY stream in the oils. Run the machine the entire time, pausing with the oil every few seconds to allow each addition to incorporate. Once the oil is all added, continue running the machine until the mixture is thick, emulsified, and pale yellow. It should look like mayonnaise.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and season with a little salt and pepper. Run the machine to incorporate everything. Add in the chopped sundried tomatoes and pulse a few times to incorporate (this will yield a slightly chunky aioli). Check the seasoning one last time and adjust as necessary.
- Transfer the aioli to an airtight container and keep in the fridge until you are ready to use. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
To Serve:
- Spread some of the aioli on the tops and bottoms of the slider rolls. Top the bottom half with a few leaves of baby spinach and a thin slice of the fresh mozzarella.
- Top the cheese with a meatball and then top off each slider with the top roll. If desired, place assembled sliders on a baking sheet and place in a 300°F oven until everything is warmed through (I actually skip this step because I like everything at room temperature. Totally your call!).
- Serve warm or at room temperature.