“This doesn’t exist in Italy,” says venerated chef Bob Kinkead, pointing to what’s left of the saucy, gooey sub on my plate — and chin. “It’s an Italian American immigrant success story.”
Kinkead and executive chef Jeffrey Gaetjen have built a simple premise into their food at Campono in the Watergate in Washington, D.C.: Make it the best way it can be done. For their meatball sub, that means baking rolls with a crackling semolina crust; veal, pork, beef and prosciutto plus three cheeses in the meatball mix; a spicy marinara; and melty, house-made mozzarella that hugs the components enough to guarantee a tidy first bite.
After that, “it’s a mess,” Kinkead says. “And I like it that way.”
Campono Meatball Sub
6 servings
2 tablespoons, plus 1/4 cup olive oil
1 small, finely diced onion
8 thinly sliced garlic cloves, divided
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon, plus pinch crushed red pepper flakes
8 sliced of country white bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup regular or low-fat milk
2 pounds ground veal
2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
1 pound ground pork shoulder
8 ounces finely chopped prosciutto
1 cup grated pecorino-Romano
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
6 large eggs
2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/2 cups finely chopped parsley
4 tablespoons, plus pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon, plus pinch of cracked black pepper
2 cups “00” flour for dusting
28 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes (no can juices)
6 to 8 basil leaves
6 sub rolls
12 slices of fresh mozzarella
6 slices of provolone
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon oregano and red pepper flakes. Cook just until the onion and garlic have softened; transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Soak bread pieces in a separate bowl with milk.
Add to the large bowl veal, ground beef, pork shoulder, prosciutto, pecorino-Romano, ricotta, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, kosher salt, black pepper, and then soaked bread pieces. Using your clean hands, blend the mixture well.
