Shot Put-Sized Turkey Meatballs #
Ingredients #
Meatballs 1 lb. ground turkey 1 egg yolk 1 Tbsp. garlic, crushed 2 Tbsp. basil, fresh, chopped 3 Tbsp. pecorino cheese, grated 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs 2 Tbsp. ketchup 3 Tbsp. yellow onion, minced Kosher salt Black pepper | Sauce 1/2 cup yellow onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 16 oz. crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. chili flakes 3 Tbsp. basil, chopped 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped 2 Tbsp. sugar, granulated Kosher salt |
Directions #
- Make the sauce first: Add oil, garlic, onion, chili flake, and bay leaf to 2 QT sauce pan. Season with salt. Cook until onions get soft.
- Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and the chopped basil. Tip: If you don’t have a lot of time to cook, a nice tip is to add a little sugar to add from the natural acid from the tomatoes. Bring to a medium simmer and cover with lid. Let cook. The longer it simmers the better it tastes. Allow the flavors to come together!
- Next, we’re going make the ‘shot put’ meatballs: chop basil, grate pecorino, and add egg yolk to the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Tip: We’re using turkey for less fat content.
- Take a small amount, sauté it, taste for seasoning, and adjust. Tip: If you make a big batch of something it’s a good idea to test a small amount to see if you need to adjust the seasoning. Next, we’re going to roll a couple of Meatballs. We’re going to make these larger, to look more like a shot put.
- First we’re going to sear the meatballs in olive oil on all sides. Then we’re going to finish meatballs in the oven on about 350. Tip: Cook it on a lower temperature so it cooks all the way through and doesn’t burn.
- Add chopped parsley to sauce while meatballs finish cooking in oven.
- Now it’s time to plate! Meatball in the middle. Add a dollop of sauce on the plate first, then the meat ball. Bathe it in sauce. Use micro plane to shred pecorino over the top with chopped parsley.
- Taste!