Spagetti with Turkey Meatballs

Last night I made Spagetti with Turkey Meatballs.  This recipe is long but very simple, and best of all, it tastes great!  I usually don't like ground turkey but these meatballs are yummy, and definitely healthier than my old spagetti recipe.

Meatballs:

1 cup onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb.+ ground turkey (white and dark meat combined) 

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup grated parmesan or Asiago cheese

2/3 cup low fat ricotta

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I use panko)

2 t. Mexican oregano or Italian seasoning (I use Anna's Herbs) 

1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 T. fennel seeds

Sauce:

2 cups yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and very finely minced

2 cans (28 oz.) whole, peeled tomatoes*, crushed by hand into the sauce pan

1 can (28 oz.) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (I like Muir Glen brand)

3 T. tomato paste

1 T. dried Mexican oregano or Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup+ fresh basil, chiffonade

Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Using Less Pots:  Saute the onions, garlic, and fennel seeds first and then take out enough for the meatballs before you make the sauce.  It's fine that there are fennel seeds in the sauce.  If not, follow these directions:

For the meatballs, sauté the onion in olive oil for 5-6 minutes.  Add garlic and fennel seeds and sauté another minute.  Set aside and let cool.  Mix all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.  Don’t worry about measuring…just eyeball the breadcrumbs, ricotta, etc.  Line baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray.  Form mixture into slightly larger than golf-ball sized meatballs.  You should end up with about 15-20 depending on size and how much turkey you have.  Refrigerate for about one hour.

For the sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add onions and sauté about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat and add garlic and chipotle; sauté another minute.  Season with oregano, salt and pepper.  Add whole tomatoes, breaking them up by hand before adding to the pan.  Add crushed tomatoes and paste.  Season again with salt and pepper.  Add remaining ingredients except basil.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a slow simmer.  Simmer at least one hour.  Add water (about ½ cup at a time) as you simmer, if necessary.  I usually end up adding a couple of cups of water.  Add the fresh basil to the sauce just before the meatballs are ready.

Meanwhile, cook the meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425°.  Bake the meatballs on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes.  Remove and add immediately to the simmering sauce.  Simmer about 15 minutes, while you cook the pasta and bake the garlic bread.

Spoon meatball sauce on top of cooked spaghetti. Serve topped with fresh Parmesan or Asiago cheese, garlic bread and salad.

*If possible, use San Marzano tomatoes from Italy.  There will be a large basil leaf or two in the cans.  I don't use these.  Want to know why there is a basil leaf in the can?  Because the import tariff for canned tomatoes is more than for canned tomato sauce.  The basil leaf makes it a "sauce".  Useless Foodie Fact!