SUMMER MEATBALLS

Summer Meatballs image

Provided by Nigella Lawson

Time 1h15m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 stalk celery, trimmed
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups passata (available at specialty food markets) or puréed canned tomatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
4 to 5 whole basil leaves

Steps:

To prepare sauce: in bowl of a food processor, combine onion, garlic, celery, carrot and lemon zest. Process until minced. Place large saucepan or flameproof casserole over medium-low heat, and add oil and butter. Add minced vegetables and salt to taste. Sauté gently until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Add sugar, passata and 2 cups water. Cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Add milk, and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes more. Meanwhile, begin preparing meatballs.
To prepare meatballs: in a large bowl, combine ground turkey, ground pork, bread crumbs, garlic and egg; mix well. Add pecorino, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until thoroughly blended.
Line a large baking sheet with plastic wrap. Dampen hands with cold water, and roll rounded teaspoonfuls of meatball mixture, placing meatballs on sheet; there should be about 80. Add meatballs to simmering sauce, shaking pan gently to make room as they are dropped in; do not stir. Simmer, partly covered, until meat is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
To serve, transfer meatballs and sauce to a serving bowl, and sprinkle with pine nuts and whole basil leaves. Serve, if desired, with cooked rice, garnishing each serving with more pine nuts and chopped basil.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 392, UnsaturatedFat 17 grams, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 28 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 22 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 705 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams