TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
SERVES: 2-3
Protein
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
Milk & Dairy
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup grated pecorino, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pantry
2 small slices sourdough
1 cup orzo
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dijon mustard
500 ml roasted red pepper (about 4)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Olive Oil
Produce
1 large shallot
5 cloves garlic
Basil to garnish
Start your meatballs. Chop your bread into small chunks. Mix in a large bowl with 1/2 cup milk and let soak for 5 minutes. Grate in 1 large shallot, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup pecorino. Add 1 egg, 1/4 cup crumbled feta, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well, then add meat and mix using two forks in a pulling motion - this helps ensure you don't overmix and condense the meatballs. Mix until just incorporated. Roll into ping pong size balls and place on a plate in the fridge for 15 minutes to overnight.
Cook your meatballs. Air fryer: place in air fryer at 400F for 8-10 minutes until browned and cooked through
Pan fry: place large frying pan over medium heat and heat 2 tbsp oil. In batches so you don't overcrowd the pan, cook balls until golden brown all over and cooked through (about 5-7 minutes)
Make your sauce. Blend your roasted red peppers until fairly smooth and set aside. Prep and measure all your sauce ingredients now as you'll need to move fast. Heat a medium sized pot over medium heat. Warm 2 tbsp olive oil. Drop in 1 tbsp tomato paste, mix and cook until a deep red but not sticking to then pan too much, 3-5 minutes. Add in 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 tsp chili flakes, 1 tsp smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add blended red peppers, mix, and bring to a simmer. Add 1 cup orzo and mix well. Cook for 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and cook for 10 minutes or until orzo is al dente, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick to the pan.
Once cooked, remove from heat and mix in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup grated pecorino. Serve with meatballs, fresh basil and more grated pecorino.
Questions? Drop a comment below if you have any questions, and don’t forget to let me know if you make it!