Turkey meatballs with pepper sauce

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This turkey meatball recipe offers the chance to really experiment with combinations and ingredients, which Andy Waters does brilliantly in this easy recipe. Turkey mince is lean and inexpensive and pairs well with stronger flavours, such as the sage and thyme used here. Grated apple adds a hint of sweetness to the turkey meatballs and helps keep them moist and tender throughout cooking.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Turkey meatballs

  • 500g of turkey mince
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 apple, peeled and grated
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp of breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp of sage, chopped, or 1/2 tbsp dried sage
  • 1 tbsp of thyme, leaves only
  • 3 tbsp of plain flour
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of black pepper
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil

Pepper sauce

Equipment

  • Blender

Method

1
For the pepper sauce, place a pan over a low-medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots and peppers and sweat until soft
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 2 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 1/2 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped
2
Stir in the rest of the ingredients, season and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes
3
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside
4
For the meatballs, add the turkey, onion, apple and egg to a large bowl and mix well
5
Add the breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning to the bowl and mix with your hands until everything is incorporated
  • 3 tbsp of breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp of sage, chopped, or 1/2 tbsp dried sage
  • 1 tbsp of thyme, leaves only
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of black pepper
6
Prepare a floured plate. Divide and shape the mix into 24 walnut-sized meatballs. Once you have made the balls, roll them in the flour and set aside until ready to fry
  • 3 tbsp of plain flour
7
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
8
Place a pan over a medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the meatballs until golden brown all over - do this in batches if the pan is not big enough to hold all of them
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
9
Transfer the browned meatballs to a casserole dish and pour over the sauce. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until cooked through
10
Once cooked, serve immediately with some rice, pasta, or as preferred

Andy Waters helped put the Midlands on the gastronomic map when he won a Michelin star in 2003 for Edmunds. The award came within six months of opening and the restaurant went on to be named restaurant of the year by Harden's Guide.

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