Capon's Tailgating Meatball Hero Bar |  Chef Josh Capon

Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. 

For the panade, mix together the cream, egg, salt, pepper, bread and breadcrumbs by hand in a medium bowl. 

For the meatballs, place the beef in a large bowl and add the garlic, basil, parsley, chili flakes, salt, pepper, ricotta, Parmesan and panade. Mix with your hands until just combined; do not overmix. 

Form the mixture into about 24 meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the chili flakes and bay leaf and stir for a few seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Carefully add the meatballs (so they don't break) and any juices on the baking sheet to the simmering sauce, cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, prepare the toppings. Char the skin of the peppers on burners directly over the gas flame, turning them every few minutes so they char evenly. If you don't have a gas range, you can broil them instead. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for several minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, discard the seeds and slice the flesh into strips. Toss in a serving bowl with some EVOO and the smashed garlic cloves and season with salt and pepper. 

Heat about ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until they start to caramelize. Raise the heat to high, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown, adding more oil, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl. 

Arrange the cheeses, chili paste, cherry peppers and basil in bowls and set the rolls on a platter. Transfer the meatballs and sauce to a serving dish and garnish with extra grated Parm, dried oregano and a drizzle of EVOO. Let guests build their own meatball heroes.