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1
Preheat the oven to 450.
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2
Brush a large ceramic baking dish with olive oil.
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3
In a large bowl, whisk the egg.
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4
Stir in the panko, garlic, parsley, 1/4 cup of the cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
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5
Add the ground beef and gently knead to combine.
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6
Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and transfer to the baking dish.
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7
Bake for about 10 minutes, turning once, until browned.
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8
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
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9
Add the crushed tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat until bubbling.
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10
Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
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11
With a large spoon, mash the meatballs into large chunks.
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12
Remove from the heat.
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13
Meanwhile, brush 2 large baking sheets with olive oil and preheat in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
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14
On a lightly floured work surface, cut each ball of dough in half.
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15
Roll each piece into a 10-inch oval.
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16
Arrange the dough on the heated baking sheets.
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17
Bake for about 7 minutes, shifting the pans halfway through baking, until lightly golden on top.
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18
Spread the meatball sauce over the crusts, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the rims.
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19
Sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese.
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20
Bake for about 5 minutes, until the crust is crisp on the bottom and the cheese is melted.
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21
Scatter basil leaves over the pizzas and serve hot.
