First, heat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the panko, goat cheese, basil, parsley, eggs, garlic, milk, fennel seeds, salt and plenty of pepper. Add the beef and the sausage and mix with your fingertips only until the panko disappears, about 20 seconds.

Next, with wet hands, roll or scoop the mixture into balls about 2 1/4 inches across and set them on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until browned and an instant-read thermometer reads 160F in the center of the largest one.

Then, while the meatballs bake, warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onion with a good pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more.

After that, pour in the crushed tomatoes with a pinch each of salt, sugar and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt and sugar until the tomatoes stop tasting sharp.

Drop the heat to low and stir in the goat cheese until the sauce turns pale coral and looks glossy rather than grainy. Slide the baked meatballs in and turn them gently to coat, then hold them over the lowest heat.

Meanwhile, split the ciabatta rolls and toast the cut faces until dry and browned, under a broiler, in a dry skillet or in the oven alongside the meatballs. Rub each hot cut face with the peeled garlic clove.

Finally, pile 3 or 4 meatballs into each roll with plenty of sauce, scatter the torn basil over the top and serve straight away, while the bread is still crisp.