Meatball sandwich in a bread bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of round country white bread, 20 cm in diameter.
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 450 g of ground beef with 20% fat content
• 2 tbsp. marinara sauce
• 3 tbsp. grated mozzarella
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Cut the top of the bread 2 inches thick and set aside. Scoop out the crumb, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick wall on all sides. Tear the bread into 1/2-cup pieces and place in a large bowl with milk. Let sit for 5 minutes (set aside the remaining crumb for another use). Add the parsley, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, half the garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix with your hands until evenly distributed. Add the ground beef and mix.
3. Place 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture on a rack on a baking sheet. Wet your hands and form into balls. Bake until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Place 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a bread bowl and pour the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce into a large bowl. Add the meatballs to the bowl and gently toss to coat.
5. Wipe out the rack, return it to the baking sheet, and place the bread bowl on it. Fill the bread with the fillings in the following order: sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella, then add half of the sauce-covered meatballs and 1/4 cup of Parmesan; repeat layers of mozzarella, meatballs, and Parmesan. Top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
6. Combine the butter, remaining 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, remaining garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Generously grease the underside of a bread lid with the butter mixture and place it over the bread bowl. Generously grease the outside of the bread bowl with the remaining butter mixture. Place a large cast-iron skillet over the bowl (or you can use an aluminum skillet weighted with a couple of large cans of preserves). Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the bread bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted and golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.