Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Spicy Turkey Meatballs

These meatballs will add some variety to spaghetti night. The addition of the sausage, prosciutto, and Asiago cheese to the turkey provides a nice flavor that is different than your average beef meatballs. Plus this recipe makes a lot of meatballs, around 40, so you can toss any extras in the freezer and save them for another day. So wash your hands, boil the water, and get ready to roll those meatballs!





Spicy Turkey Meatballs
Recipe from Ina Garten
Pictures by Caroline
Yields roughly 40 meatballs


Ingredients
3 cups (1-inch diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed*
2/3 cup whole milk
2 pounds ground turkey (85-percent to 92-percent lean)
1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped**
1 cup freshly grated aged Asiago cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the meatballs
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
3 (24-ounce) jars good marinara sauce
2 pounds dried spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese, for serving

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine.
  4. With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked.
  5. Pour the marinara sauce in a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer.
  6. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.
*To simplify this recipe, you can substitute the bread cubes with pre-made bread crumbs.
**I substituted bacon here.

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