Purchased prepared pizza dough offers a shortcut to making tender bao-style buns at home.
Ingredients:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons applesauce
2 green onions, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup coarsely shredded apple
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
pizza dough bao-style buns (recipe below)
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Stir together egg, breadcrumbs, applesauce, green onions, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add ground pork and shredded apple. Mix until combined.
Shape into 16 (1 1/2 ounce) meatballs. Arrange in a foil-lined shallow baking pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into centers registers 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).
Whisk together hoisin, sambal oelek, and vinegar in a small bowl. Brush onto meatballs.
Serve meatballs in Pizza Dough Bao-Style Buns. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
