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Enjoy a Nutritious turkey meatball pasta, our twist on a homemade Italian classic.
Use turkey mince in place of beef mince for a healthier alternative that is tasty too. Adding beans boosts the fibre
content.
This recipe is a good option for a family-friendly dinner.
3 tbs Crisp ‘n Dry
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 tsp oregano (dried or fresh)
Pinch of black pepper
500g turkey mince
2 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans in water, rinsed and drained
2 tbs semi-skimmed milk
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
700g fresh ripe tomatoes
100ml white wine (optional)
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbs tomato puree
Handful fresh basil and parsley, chopped
400g pasta twists or tubes
Fresh parmesan to serve (Optional)
Fry the onion in 2 tsp Crisp ‘n Dry for 5 minutes over medium low heat until soft but not brown. Add the oregano, season with pepper and cook for a further minute. Tip into a large bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Using a fork, crush half the beans on a plate and set the rest aside for later.
Add the turkey mince, breadcrumbs and crushed beans to the onions in the bowl. Using clean hands, mix well to combine then add the milk and mix again. Cover and refrigerate. Bring a large pan of water to the boil for the pasta.
Place the tomatoes in another large saucepan and cover with boiling water. Leave for two minutes then drain. Remove the skins (which should peel off easily) and cut in half. Remove most of the seeds and discard the skins and seeds then roughly chop the tomatoes.
Fry the garlic in 2 tsp Crisp ‘n Dry for a minute over low heat in the empty pan you’ve just used for the tomatoes. Add the chilli flakes and wine and bubble for a minute or two.
Add the tomatoes and the tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes then stir in the rest of the whole cannellini beans and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Turn off the heat then stir in the parsley and basil, reserving a little for garnish.
Divide the turkey mince mixture into 16 and roll into balls. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and add the meatballs. Cook for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 7-10 minutes, turning frequently until golden on all sides. Check that they are cooked through completely.
While the meatballs are cooking, boil the pasta for two minutes less than the suggested time, then drain, reserving a couple of spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the tomato sauce and stir well over a low heat for a minute to coat well.
Tip the pasta and sauce into a large serving dish and place the meatballs on top. Scatter over the rest of the herbs and serve with salad, crusty bread and optional grated parmesan cheese.
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