Turkey and Ricotta Meatballs

by Hilary Gauntt on January 31, 2021

This is the recipe from Julia Turshen’s cook book “Small Victories” that Sally Fields said was “reason enough to own this book.” The ricotta replaces the usual breadcrumbs and eggs, making them light and tender. And I so appreciate that she has you baking the meatballs, not frying them; so much easier and less messy. It was the first thing she cooked for her now wife Grace; dragging all the ingredients over to her apartment. It’s really a double recipe as Julia thinks you should have extra meatballs in your freezer. So feel free to cut the ingredients in half. But don’t forget lots of Parmesan cheese for serving!

I confess that I used Rao’s marinara sauce and skipped making the simple version given here. But I bet it’s good.

Two 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes

7 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

7 garlic cloves; 4 thinly sliced, 3 minced

Kosher salt

1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh whole milk ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan, finely grated

2 pounds ground turkey (preferably dark meat) at room temperature

Pour the contents of the tomato cans into a large bowl (set the cans aside) and crush the tomatoes with your hands (this is a messy but fun job, and a very good one for children.) Rinse one of the cans with about 1/4 cup water, pour it into the second can and swish it around to get all the excess tomato out of the cans, and then pour the water into the tomato bowl.

In a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil, add the sliced garlic, and cook, stirring until it begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and a very large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer, stirring every so often, until it is slightly reduced and has lost any tin-can taste, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle 2 Tbs. olive oil on the baking sheet and use your hands to rub it over the entire surface of the sheet. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the minced garlic, basil, parsley, ricotta, Parmesan, turkey, and 1 Tbs. salt. Blend everything together gently but authoritatively with your hands (they’re the best tool for the job) until well mixed. Then use your hands to form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs; the mixture will be sticky, so wet your hands with a bit of water to help prevent the meat from sticking to them. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheets as you form them (its OK if they are touching a little). Drizzle the meatballs with the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil and roast until they’re browned and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.

Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to the simmering sauce (discard whatever juice and fat is left on the baking sheet). Cook the meatballs for 10 minutes in the sauce (they can be left in the gently simmering sauce for up to one hour) and serve. Serves 8 or 4 with lots of leftovers. Makes about 30 meatballs.

Note: If you prefer, use 2 lbs. of your favorite sausage meat instead of the turkey. Julia likes to use half sweet and half spicy.

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