SAUSAGE MEATBALLS MARINARA WITH KHORASAN WHEAT

Sausage Meatballs Marinara with Khorasan Wheat image

We love the texture of khorasan wheat (often sold under the brand name Kamut). The long plump grains are chewy and buttery and go perfectly with marinara sauce. They're just as satisfying as a bowl of spaghetti but with a lot more fiber-11 grams per serving!

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h40m

Yield 4 servings (5 meatballs, 1 heaping cup of grains and sauce)

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 cup khorasan wheat berries, such as Kamut, picked through for pebbles
1 pound hot Italian pork or turkey sausage links
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Small pinch crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
One 15-ounce can whole plum tomatoes (no salt added), crushed by hand, with juices
Small handful fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Steps:

Bring a medium saucepan filled two-thirds full with water to a boil. Add the wheat berries, and cook until the grains have plumped and are tender but still chewy, 55 minutes to 1 hour; strain. (The wheat berries can be cooked and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
Squeeze the sausage out of the casings, divide into 20 pieces and roll into Ping-Pong-ball-sized meatballs.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown and crispy on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until brown and crispy, about 3 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat, and transfer the meatballs to a plate. They should be about 3/4 of the way cooked. Wipe out the skillet.
Put the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and crushed red pepper in the skillet, and set over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, stir until the garlic is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, and stir until the oil turns yellow, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the basil and 1/2 cup water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs, and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Stir in the wheat berries, and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 450, Fat 18 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Cholesterol 35 milligrams, Sodium 950 milligrams, Carbohydrate 44 grams, Fiber 11 grams, Protein 26 grams, Sugar 4 grams