13. Hold the Pasghetti: Turkey Meatball Sub

To compose a sandwich is a simple proposition; one needs only bread and a filling. With better ingredients--bread, condiments, meat, cheese, vegetables--comes a higher chance of sandwich satisfaction, though one of my humble favourites is salami on a buttered, soft white bun. In my experience, personal preferences come into play more so in the construction of a sandwich than in any other culinary endeavor, so tonight I will share mine:

• The bread should be crisp outside and soft inside, and spread with a light coating of butter or, failing that, a slight swipe of mayo. See above exception.
• It should be pressed or grilled, or the bread should be toasted.
• The condiments should be present, but not ooze out when you squish the sandwich.
• It should have a good filling-to-bread ratio, but shouldn't be so stuffed that you have to unhinge your jaw to take a bite.
• NO CELERY IN MY GODDAMN CHICKEN OR EGG SALAD. The distinct crunch of celery feels like someone sneaked an ice cube down my back. 
• I'M SERIOUS.
• Okay whatever, only assholes are that picky.

Moving on, in honour of the cutest cartoon character ever!:

I made chicken meatballs with a recipe from Gourmet. Of course, I never have pancetta on hand so I used a healthy amount of diced bacon and instead of Italian bread I used a French baguette. Oh yeah, and it's turkey. Verdict?

I know you can't really see the meatball itself under all that rich tomato sauce, sauteed onion and pepper jack cheese, but I assure you it's moist and tomatoey with sweet hints of garlic and salty bits of bacon. The best part is they only take about 35 minutes from start to finish, and that includes the time it takes to almost-caramelize half the onions and puree a few tomatoes into a quick sauce for the sandwich. I'd also like to recommend the meatballs for non-sandwich use, but I'll never know, as the bread blanket has proven to be minced turkey's ideal vehicle. 

Happy sandwiching!