This started out as a Giada recipe, but I changed it to make it a little more doable with familiar ingredients. Plus I don’t really like working with ground chicken. However, even changing it to turkey did NOT fool the pork-loving Baby who refused to eat them. EVERYONE ELSE thought it was fantastic. Hmpf. Carnivores.

ingredients:
1 pound penne rigate pasta (or any other small sized pasta)
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon whole milk
1 Tablespoon ketchup
3/4 Parmesean cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 ground pepper
1 pound ground turkey (or use pork if you are like my kid)

1/4 olive oil* (if frying, see below)
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces bocconcini (tiny mozzarella balls, halved)
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, according to timing on package. Drain the pasta saving 1 cup of pasta water (very important). Set aside.

I am big on prepping ahead. So now’s when I’d wash and cut the tomatoes in half and set them aside in a bowl. Same with the bocconicini, cut them in half, set them aside as well. Then you can just throw it all together later. Trust me.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, cheese, salt and pepper. Add the ground turkey until well combined. Make tiny 3/4 mini meatballs. You can do this by hand, I prefer to use a mini ice cream scoop.


Now, you can cook these meatballs on the stove OR in the oven. (*IF you want to do it in the oven, put the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and cook in a 350 degree oven for 30mins) If you don’t, and want to slave over a stove top (always fun) then heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs – you’ll probably have to do three batches, see what I mean about standing around? – don’t be tempted to move the meatballs until they are brown on the bottom, around 2-3 mins. Turn them and brown the tops, 2-3 mins more. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring it to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and the meatballs are cooked through, about 5-10 mins.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, toss to coat. Add some of the reserved pasta water you saved – you may not need all of it – to make a sauce. Add the meatball mixture, bocconcini, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Garnish the top with the remaining basil and Parmesan. I also like to sprinkle some cracked pepper on top.

This is a GREAT dish. The combination of flavors and textures works really really well. I was thinking of making it at Christmas just because of the lovely green and red colors.

When I was 15 I worked in an architecture firm. One of the older architects took me under his wing and skooled me. I think he was bored with his job and was happy to not work and just talk to me all day. So one day he gave me this recipe and said, ‘When you are older and have children you should make them this recipe every week. It is easy and tasty and good for you.’ In some weird way it stuck with me and I carried that recipe with me all through college up and up til today. He was right. It is easy. And tasty.

ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms

16 large lettuce leaves

sauce ingredients:
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon sugar

Peel the carrots, then grate them. Wash lettuce leaves and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together ground turkey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 2 teaspoons ginger. Brown in a skillet over medium high heat, add carrots, green onions and mushrooms til turkey is cooked through, no longer pink.

Combine sauce ingredients.

Spoon the meat mixture into the lettuce leaves and serve, or you can have people assemble them themselves. Either way, add a little sauce just before eating.