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| "Presidential" Linguine & Meatballs |
One of my favorite recipes, and assuredly a
favorite among friends and family, is my recipe for linguine and
meatballs. The homemade marinara, flavored
with sweet onion, garlic, pepper flakes and a medley of herbs, creates a wonderful
“bath” for my succulent turkey—yes turkey—meatballs that burst with the flavors
of fennel seed and sundried tomatoes and the freshness of basil.
This recipe is so special because it oozes a comforting casualness, while still serving up decadence, and can be whipped up in almost no time at all. I've served it to business colleagues with
the same success as with long-time friends and family. And it never fails to impress, to my delight. In fact, I am so confident in this recipe’s
ability to suit any occasion that, when once asked, I named it as the recipe
that I would likely serve the President, if so given the honor. When I later recounted this story to some
friends one evening, they immediately piped up and said, “Hmmm, Presidential
linguine and meatballs.” And the name
has stuck ever since!
Happy Eating!
Presidential Linguine and Meatballs
This dish keeps on the light and healthy side of the beloved pasta
and meatballs dish, without sacrificing any of the savory delight that you
would expect. The use of turkey for the
meatballs and the incorporation of fresh and dried herbs make it both hearty
and light in the same bite.
Ingredients:
¾ lb. linguine, fresh or dried
1.5 lbs. dark ground turkey
1 tablespoon of your favorite seasoning or spice blend
Salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seed
¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, rolled into a bundle and finely
sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus a little extra for
drizzling
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon each of dried thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano
Sprinkling of sugar
Several dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, combine the turkey, seasoning
blend, a light sprinkle of salt, fennel seeds, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil
and a drizzle of olive oil. Be careful
not to overwork the meat while mixing.
Next, form golf ball sized meatballs from the mixture and place them on
a baking sheet.
Once all the meatballs are formed, place them in
the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large
sauté pan or skillet and place over medium heat and preheat. Add in the onions and cook for 4-5
minutes. Stir in the garlic and red
pepper flakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the onions are
translucent. Pour in the crushed
tomatoes, a sprinkling of salt, the pepper, each of the dried herbs, a
sprinkling of sugar and the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Add in the meatballs, cover and simmer for
about 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced. Stir occasionally.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot
of water to a boil. Once it comes to a
roaring boil, toss in a generous amount of salt (at least 2 tablespoons) and
add in the pasta. Cook the pasta according
to the package directions and drain when done cooking.
Pour the drained pasta into a big serving bowl
and top with the marinara and meatballs.
Toss to combine. For an added
finish, sprinkle with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan. Serve and enjoy!
