Meatball Sliders Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 3 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (6 slices firm white sandwich bread)
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef chuck (not lean)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano (1/4 pound)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 20 small (2-inch) soft buns or rolls, split