Sandwich Of The Week: Buddy V's Ristorante's Smashed Meatball Sub

The first restaurant venture for Buddy Valastro, the renowned baker who achieved international fame with his TLC series, Cake Boss, Buddy V's Ristorante serves classic Italian dishes in the upscale setting of The Venetian Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The menu stars favorites such as calamari fritti, orecchiette pasta with Italian sausage, and chicken Parm. They've even made sure to bring a few tastes of the East Coast to the City of Sin, and one of the dishes that excels at this is their smashed meatball sub.

The sandwich comprises meatballs that are made following executive chef Bryan Forgione's grandmother's recipe, tomato ragu, and not one but two kinds of cheese — Provolone and herbed ricotta. It's all laid out on crisp Italian that's baked by a local purveyor exclusively for Buddy V's. It's served with Tuscan-style fries, which translates to being tossed with herbs and both grana and pecorino cheeses.

As for the "smashed" part, chef Forgione explained to us why this is crucial, saying, "Any novice has had a meatball fall out of their sub at some point, so we take the liberty of giving it a light smash to ensure your meatballs stay put." It's a sandwich that's made like your grandmother would — with love and care — and that's why it's this week's Sandwich of the Week.