Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Serves 4-6

TOMATO BUTTER SAUCE

• 1 – 24 oz jar of organic strained tomatoes (I love Bionaturae)

• 1/2 onion

• 5 tbsp organic unsalted butter

• Sea salt

• Black pepper

TURKEY MEATBALLS

• 1 slice of quality white bread, crust removed

• 1/3 C whole milk

• 1 lb ground turkey

• 3 tbsp onion, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp italian parsley, chopped + more for finishing

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 C freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese + more for finishing

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

• Sea salt

• Black pepper

• 1 lb spaghetti

Instructions

Start by making your Tomato Butter Sauce. Place 1/2 an onion cut side down in a pan. Add 24 ounces of organic strained tomatoes, and 5 tbsp butter. Turn the heat on low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so the onion doesn’t stick. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Set aside. While the sauce is cooking, start the meatballs.

Put the milk and bread in a small saucepan and turn the heat on low. When the bread has soaked up all the liquid, mash it into a pulp with a fork. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool completely. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the ground turkey, onion, parsley, egg, olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, the bread/milk mixture, a generous pinch of sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. When all of the ingredients are evenly combined, roll the mixture into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Set on a plate.

In a nonstick sauté pan, pour a generous amount of canola or vegetable oil, about 1/4 in. Turn the heat on to medium-high. When the oil is hot, carefully add the meatballs, working in batches if necessary. Brown the meatballs on all sides, turning them very carefully so they do not break. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set them on a plate. Return your tomato saucepan to the burner and turn on low. Add 1/4 -1/3 cup water to thin it out. Taste. Season for salt and pepper.

Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce. Turn the meatballs over to coat. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. While the meatballs cook, fill a large pot with water for the pasta, bring to a boil, and season with sea salt. When the meatballs are almost finished, cook your spaghetti until it is al dente. Reserving some pasta water, divide the pasta among individual bowls and drizzle with a little pasta water. Top the pasta with tomato sauce, meatballs, fresh parsley, and some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. If the pasta needs moisture, you can always add a little more pasta water. Mix to combine.