Turkey Meatball and Lemon Zucchini Pasta
Meatballs
- 1 cup panko
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups grated zucchini, squeezed of moisture in a clean kitchen towel
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1¼ cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 large lemon, sliced into ½-inch-thick slices
Pasta and sauce
- ¾ pound spaghetti or bucatini
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cups zucchini, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Kalamata or other black olives, roughly chopped
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil for garnish
Heat oven to 375 F. Line a sheet pan with foil, and coat with oil spray.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk. Let rest for 5 minutes while the crumbs absorb the milk. Add the zucchini, turkey, 1 cup Parmesan, garlic salt and onion powder. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
Use an ice cream or cookie scoop to form the meatballs. Rinse your hands in cold water before smoothing the balls, then place them on the sheet pan.
Place lemon slices around the meatballs on the foil-lined sheet. Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or until they are lightly browned, and the lemon slices have softened.
When the lemon slices are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters. Set aside for the sauce.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
While the water is boiling, place enough olive oil to amply cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat. The oil will become the pasta sauce, so be generous.
When the oil is hot, add the zucchini. Shake the pan to settle the zucchini. Leave it to brown without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the zucchini, and shake the pan. Add the shallot, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Adjust the temperature, if needed, to allow the browning to continue without burning. Stir every 2 minutes or until all the vegetables are lightly caramelized and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Add the olives and lemon quarters to the zucchini mixture. Use tongs to lift the pasta into the skillet. Add ½ cup of pasta water. Use tongs to mix the sauce and pasta. As the water absorbs, you may want to add the rest of the water.
Serve on plates or bowls. Nestle the meatballs on top. Garnish with remaining Parmesan and parsley or basil. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired.
Serves 4
Scratch-Made Sausage With Pumpkin Sauce
Sausage
- 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Pasta and sauce
- 1 pound orecchiette or other small pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- Two 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 bunch kale, large ribs removed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Crumble the meat into a mixing bowl. In a small bowl, mix all herbs and spices. Sprinkle the herbs and spices over the meat. Drizzle with the olive oil. Rinse your hands in cold water and gently knead the spices into the meat until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
In a wide pan, brown the sausage mixture in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently, breaking up the sausage into bite-sized bits. This should take 6 to 8 minutes. Remove cooked sausage and juices to a plate. Set aside.
In the same pan, heat another swirl of olive oil. Sauté the shallot until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, wine and salt. Stir. Heat until gently bubbling.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. When it is cooked al dente, reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to its cooking pot.
Add the kale and the sausage and its juices into the pan with the pumpkin mixture. Stir in one cup of pasta water. Scrape the sausage/pumpkin mixture into the cooked pasta. Stir. Add more of the reserved pasta water to create a smooth sauce that evenly coats the pasta.
Serve in a large serving dish or individual pasta bowls.
Serves 6
Humble Pasta With Beans and Mushrooms
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans
- ½ pound macaroni
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 pound mushrooms, any variety, trimmed and quartered
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more for pasta water
- 1 lemon, zested and squeezed
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions until almost al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Set aside the pasta and the pasta water.
Mix the oregano, chives and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, onion, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, leaving the mushrooms to brown a bit. Stir. Leave the mushrooms undisturbed for a few more minutes before stirring until they are cooked through and have a slight brown color. Adjust the temperature if the onion is browning too quickly. Remove about ½ of the mushrooms from the pan and reserve for serving.
Add the beans, pasta and pasta water to the mushrooms in the skillet. Scrape any mushroom juices from the pan. Stir. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Stir in the mixed herbs and lemon juice. Allow the cooking liquid to reduce by about half, leaving some moisture in the pan.
Spoon the pasta, beans and mushrooms into a large serving bowl or individual bowls. Spoon any pan juices over the top. Place the reserved mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with lemon zest.
Serves 4
Green Goddess Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 pound macaroni or other small pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large stems broccoli, stem peeled and diced, florets broken apart
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose or rice flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 4 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces fresh spinach
- 4 cups grated cheddar, Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese, or a mix of these
Topping
- 1 cup panko, regular or gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
Heat oven to 350 F.
Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl. Stir thoroughly. Set aside. Cook the macaroni according to package directions.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic and broccoli stems. Sauté over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Add the milk and mustard. Continue stirring as the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir the spinach into the milk mixture until it is wilted. Use a blender, working in batches, or an immersion blender in the pot to blend the vegetables into the milk mixture. Stir in the cheese until it is completely melted. Stir in the broccoli florets and pasta. Pour the ingredients into a 9-by-13 baking dish.
Spread the topping over the macaroni mixture. Bake until hot and bubbly, and the edges begin to brown. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 8