Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

I don't eat red meat or pork, so I tend to eat a lot of turkey for protein. I like to think I've perfected the art of preparing ground turkey. The key is to season liberally, while adding extra fat into the meat. Adding cheese into the middle of a turkey meatball, for instance, keeps the turkey juicy and full of flavor - plus, it's fun to eat! These Italian style meatballs make a great appetizer, or topping to your favorite pasta. I'll also share my quick and easy marinara sauce for dipping - most ingredients you'll already have out while preparing the meatballs. Enjoy!

What you'll need for the meatballs:

• one package ground turkey (a little over a pound)
• 5 sticks string cheese cubed
• one egg
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
• 1/2 diced yellow onion
• 3-4 cloves of minced garlic 
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
• 1/4 cup of  fresh parsley
• heaping Tbsp of basil
• heaping Tbsp of oregano
• tsp of thyme
• tsp paprika (for color) 
• a few dashes of cayenne or 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

What you'll need for the marinara:

• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1/2 diced yellow onion
• 1-2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
• 1/4 cup parsley (reserve some for garnish)
• 2 Tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

If you have fresh herbs to use, that would elevate the dish, even more! I have a ton of Italian spices to use in my pantry, and these meatballs are the prefect way to use those. Two tricks I've learned while working with dried herbs are: 

1. Crush the dried herb in your palms to unlock the flavor, before adding it into the bowl. 
2. Take the spices, mix them together, and give them a taste before adding them to the rest of your ingredients. You may need to adjust some of the herbs based on shelf life and flavor profile. 

Alright, now that we're done with Dried Herbs 101, let's make some meatballs!

Cut the string cheese into small chunks and set aside. You can use your favorite cheese, but I love how easy the string cheese is to work with, and how well it plays with the turkey meat. Matt likes when I use feta instead of mozzarella - he has a salt tooth. 

 Take all of your meatball ingredients, (excluding the olive oil and string cheese) and mix them in a bowl, until all ingredients are evenly distributed. I use my hands to do this, but I wear gloves. At this time, preheat your oven to 375° and start heating your skillet to medium high - add the oil once it's hot

Line a 21 by 15 in sheet pan with tin foil, and drizzle it with olive oil. Now, it's time to ensemble the meatballs. I like to form a small patty in my hand, place the cheese in the middle, then wrap the patty around the cheese. I'll roll the patty around in my hand, to form a ball. If your meatball mixture is sticking to your hands, it may be too warm. You can try setting the bowl in the refrigerator for a bit, or putting some olive oil on your hands. Once all meatballs are prepped, it's time to sear them in your skillet. Once seared, place meatballs on your cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 mins, always cook to 165°F.

With the meatballs in the oven, it's time to make the marinara. Set your stove top to medium heat. Use the same skillet you used to sear the meatballs, to make the sauce. Add extra olive oil, if needed. Start by caramelizing the onion and garlic, until translucent. Add the crushed tomatoes along with the rest of the sauce ingredients, and let simmer until desired thickness. I usually let simmer until the
meatballs are done.

Use a platter and place a small bowl of the marinara in the middle. I garnished my marinara with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and chopped parsley. To make this a game day appetizer, you can use colored toothpicks to showcase your favorite team. Stick the toothpicks in the middle of the meatballs, and place around the platter for a beautiful setup that's easy to eat.