Thursday, May 28, 2009

Super-Size Turkey Meatballs with Spinach & Cheese

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 1/2 to 2 2/3 pounds ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
One 8-ounce package shredded provolone cheese or Italian cheese blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Wring the spinach dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place the ground turkey in a large bowl and make a well in the middle of the turkey. Add the spinach, half of the onion, the garlic, the egg, 1/4 cup of the milk, the bread crumbs and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined, then form the turkey mixture into 12 large balls, arrange on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO. Roast for 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and the butter to the pan. Melt the butter, add the remaining onion and cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk and the broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, then stir in the provolone. Season the sauce to taste with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.

3. Place 3 turkey meatballs on each of 4 dinner plates and drizzle with the sauce; garnish with the parsley and serve.

Comments:
This was pretty easy to make. I wasn't sure the meatballs would actually be done in 25 minutes, but they were. This makes a whole heck of a lot of cheese sauce. You could probably 1/8th the recipe and be fine. Overall, I liked them. Perhaps more salt next time. Adam's reaction? "They weren't horrible." Awesome.

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