Meatball Pie "Football"

Ingredients:

• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 0.5 cups whole milk
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 large eggs
• 1.3 kg ground beef
• 6 tbsp. marinara sauce
• 2 packs of 620 gr. ready pizza dough, room temperature
• 2 tbsp. grated mozzarella
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Preparation:

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, milk, parsley, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, 2 eggs, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Add the ground beef and mix with your hands to evenly distribute the ingredients.
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture onto the prepared baking sheets (you should have about 40 pieces). Using damp hands, roll the meat into balls. Bake the meatballs until almost cooked through and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the marinara sauce to a boil. Add the meatballs, return to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, 7-8 minutes.
5. Remove the parchment from the baking sheets and wipe one sheet clean. Spray the back of the baking sheet with cooking spray. Using your hands, form one piece of dough into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle on the baking sheet (it should be about the same size as the baking sheet). Draw a 14-inch soccer ball shape on the dough. Spoon half the meatballs, shaking off any excess sauce, onto the dough, inside the soccer ball shape. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining meatballs and the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
6. On a lightly greased surface, spread the remaining dough into a rectangle large enough to cover the meatballs. Place the dough over the meatballs and press the dough around them. Cut out a soccer ball shape, leaving a 2-cm border around the edges. Set the trimmings aside. Fold and pinch the edges tightly under the dough to prevent the cheese from leaking out during baking.
7. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the surface of the soccer ball with the beaten egg. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on a plate.
8. Form two 30cm-long ropes from the dough scraps to create lines on the ball. Gently roll the dough ropes in sesame seeds to coat them completely. Press the ropes to the sides of the soccer ball, widthwise, so they are approximately 22cm apart. Next, roll out one 22cm-long rope and roll it in sesame seeds. Place the dough rope perpendicular to the first two ropes. Roll out three 7cm-long ropes from the dough scraps and roll them in sesame seeds. Place the shorter ropes evenly spaced on top of the longer rope.
9. Mix butter and garlic salt together and coat the entire soccer ball. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 55-60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with the remaining marinara sauce.