I love cooking using ground turkey breast, but I admit that it is tough to find a recipe that can turn them into a flavorful dish. I had been using this recipe for Mini Turkey Meatballs; they are awesome as a make ahead and keep in the freezer for busy nights. Recently I found some great looking pork sausages at my grocery and was looking for a recipe that combines both ground turkey and sausages, and stumbled upon this one. Perfect! I love that it also uses Asiago cheese and prosciutto. I thought, how can anything not be delicious with all of those flavors combined together?

And… I was right! These meatballs were so flavorful, moist, and just all around delicious.  I was very happy with the flavors punch from the Asiago cheese and prosciutto. The red pepper flakes added a little spice kick as well that I absolutely loved. The fact that the house smells amazing when these were baked is an added bonus. These are definitely my now go-to turkey meatballs recipe.

Ingredients
3 cups (1-inch diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
2/3 cup whole milk
2 lbs ground turkey (88% – 92% lean)
1/2 lb sweet Italian pork sausage, casing removed
4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp good olive oil plus, extra for brushing meatballs
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
3 (24-oz) jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao’s
2 lbs dried spaghetti, such as De Cecco
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine.

With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked.

Pour the marinara into a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa’s How Easy is that?