Itsa Meatball!

I can't even remember that last time I had spaghetti. While it's a staple for some people, I rarely make it. So when I was trying to think about what to make with the turkey I had in the fridge the other night, I remembered a recipe I've wanted to try for ages: Martha's spaghetti with meatballs. Bonus: I had everything in the recipe except crushed tomatoes and an onion!

My only qualm was the meatball cooking process - they kept falling apart in the sauce and almost turned it into a meat sauce. Since that's not what I signed up for, I finally took them out and baked them (with a coat of tomato sauce) at 400 for 10 minutes. Crisis diverted, phew.

The end product was incredibly flavorful - and it was even better as leftovers the next day. Yep, I'll be making this again.

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper

1 large egg

1/3 cup milk

1 white onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Erika's addition: teaspoon of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper for some spice!

1 pound ground turkey

1 pound spaghetti

Directions

1. Make the sauce: In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Stir in onion, breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley. Add turkey, and mix until combined. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.
3. Add meatballs to skillet, and spoon sauce over to coat. Place over medium heat until meatballs are just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
4. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to skillet, and toss gently with the sauce. Serve with more cheese.