"On top of spa-GHHHE-TIIIIII, all covered with CHEEEEEEEESE, I lost my poor MEEEEEEEATball when somebody SNEEEEEEEEEEEZED."
You definitely won't be losing any meatballs if you're making this dish...you'll be guarding them with your life. It's a refreshing take on a worn out classic. The turkey meatballs are a lot lighter than beef and the fresh herbs add wonderful earthiness. I love me a good Rose Sauce and it pairs so perfectly with the turkey meat. It's so good you won't even need to cover it with "CHEEEEEEEESE".
Recipe from Evil Shananigans
_____________________________________________________________________
Serves 4
Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 - 12 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
Meatballs:
1 lb lean ground turkey
2/3 cup carrots, grated
1/2 cup onion, grated
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/3 cup parmesan, grated
1 lb spaghetti (or any other pasta)
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, thyme and oregano and stir and let it come to a simmer. Pour into a blender or food processor and add the fresh basil and blitz until smooth. Pour back into saucepan, let come up to a simmer and then add the cream, stir and remove from the heat.
For the meatballs, preheat the oven to broil and cover a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray. Add all ingredients together in a bowl and mix until combined. Take about 2 tbsp of the mixture and form into balls, and place them on the oiled baking sheet. This should make between 25-30 meatballs. Sprinkle the tops of the meatballs with a bit more paprika for color.
Bake the meatballs under the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Toss the pasta with half of the tomato cream sauce and place in a serving dish. Top with the rest of the sauce, the meatballs and more fresh basil.
Click here for printable version of Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Cream Sauce
____________________________________________________________________
THE RESULTS?
Our family loved these light and summery meatballs. The grated carrot and onion adds nutrition, flavor and juiciness to the lean meatball. Whenever I eat pasta I can't help but eat seconds (okay...maybe sometimes thirds), but with a lighter dish like this I don't even feel that guilty :)