• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C plain bread crumbs
• 1 C shredded provolone cheese, divided
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 18 dinner rolls
• 2 C spicy tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and two cloves garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Place beef in a large bowl. Add onion-garlic mixture, parsley, egg, bread crumbs, and a large handful of provolone cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Mix by hand until just combined. Scoop meat mixture into 24 mini muffin cups; meatballs need not be perfectly round. Bake in 400 degree oven until no longer pink, about 12 minutes. Leave oven on. Let meatballs cool. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining minced garlic once butter starts to bubble; stir and remove from heat. Stir well and set aside. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat foil with remaining olive oil. Transfer rolls, still attached, to the baking sheet. Cut a hole in the top of each roll, about two-thirds of the way down. Brush garlic butter over the insides and outsides of the rolls. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Pour about 1 Tbsp tomato sauce into each hole. Stuff meatballs into the holes. Top each roll with a spoonful of tomato sauce and remaining provolone cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Continue baking until cheese is melted, 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
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