Wine and Dine on a Dime #1: Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs and St. Francis Red

Hosts Tara (sommelier) and Sasha (chef) bring you a cheap, delicious meal complete with a wine pairing for everyone looking to stretch their dollar but not skimp on enjoyment. For $7 per person, we created a meal for four of Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs and St. Francis Red. The recipe can be found below:

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:
12 ounces dry spaghetti
1 large onion
6 cloves garlic
1 ¼ lbs. lean ground turkey
¾ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup skim milk
1 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
4-6 springs oregano
½ cup shaved parmesan plus more for serving
28 oz. can chopped tomatoes, preferably with paste added
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Wine (optional)

Instructions:

Begin by dicing onion and garlic.

In a pot large enough to hold sauce and meatballs, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until almost translucent. As onions begin to caramelize, add garlic and season lightly with salt.

Continue cooking until golden brown.

In a large bowl, combine milk and breadcrumbs, mixing to create a paste that resembles oatmeal or dumpling dough. Add parmesan cheese.

Add half of caramelized onions and garlic to breadcrumbs, reserving other half for sauce.

Return unwashed onion pan to low heat, add can of chopped tomatoes and a splash of the wine youll be drinking with your meal. Season with salt and pepper and allow to simmer while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Chop parsley and oregano and add to breadcrumb mixture.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add turkey to breadcrumb mixture and combine well.

Form turkey into medium sized balls, about two inches in diameter.

While forming meatballs, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and olive oil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain.

While spaghetti is cooking, heat another large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or spray pan with cooking spray and place meatballs in a single layer in the pan. Cook on all sides until golden brown and firm to the touch, approximately 12-15 minutes.

Add drained spaghetti and meatballs to tomato sauce.

Toss to coat well.

Serve with additional shaved parmesan.

Enjoy!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Tara Taylor
• Sasha Perl-Raver
• budget
• cooking
• wine
• food
• St. Francis Red
• turkey meatballs
• spaghetti
• recipes

[MrChillya]

Very informative! Something I could recreate at home. Can't wait to try a good wine at a great price. Go Girls.