Global
Turkey Meatball & Tomato Sauce Batch
Twenty lean meatballs simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce. Portion five meals, freeze the rest, pair with anything.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 6.
Ingredients
- 750g turkey mince
- 1 egg
- ½ cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 800g chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt & pepper
Cooking Steps
Mix turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, 1 garlic clove, parsley and seasoning; roll ~20 balls.
Brown in olive oil; set aside.
Soften the onion and remaining garlic; add tomatoes and oregano, simmer 10 minutes.
Return the meatballs; simmer 15 minutes until cooked through.
Portion with sauce into shallow containers; cool fast; refrigerate within 2 hours.
Optional Enhancements
- Chicken or lean beef mince
- Serve over wholemeal pasta (cooked fresh), rice or greens
- Grate courgette into the mix
Plant & Growing Tips
Tomatoes
- Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost, transplanting seedlings into full sun once temperatures are consistently warm.
- Provide strong stakes or cages for support as plants grow tall and heavy with fruit.
- Water consistently at the base of the plant to prevent cracking and blossom end rot.
Garlic
- Plant individual cloves, pointed end up, 4-6 inches apart in well-drained soil in autumn for a summer harvest, or early spring in colder climates.
- Choose a site with full sun and good air circulation.
Onion
- Sow seeds or plant sets in early spring after the danger of hard frost has passed, ensuring they get full sun.
- Grow in rich, well-drained soil and keep weed-free to prevent competition for nutrients.
Parsley
- Sow seeds directly in spring after the last frost, or start indoors, in a location with partial shade to full sun.
- Keep the soil consistently moist for best germination and growth.
Natural Pest Control
- Protect young tomato and onion plants from cutworms with cardboard collars around stems at soil level.
- Hand-pick larger pests like tomato hornworms as soon as they are spotted.
- Use row covers over onion and garlic beds in early spring to deter onion maggots and other flying pests.
- Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs to control aphids on parsley by planting dill or marigolds nearby.
Harvest
Tomatoes
- Pick tomatoes when they are fully coloured, firm, and easily detach from the vine with a gentle twist.
- Harvest frequently to encourage more fruit production.
Garlic
- Harvest when the bottom third of the leaves have yellowed and fallen over, but before all leaves are brown.
- Gently lift bulbs with a fork, taking care not to damage them, then cure in a dry, airy spot for several weeks.
Onion
- Onions are ready to harvest when their tops naturally yellow and fall over.
- Loosen the soil around the bulbs and pull them up, then cure in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area for a few weeks.
Parsley
- Begin harvesting outer stems once the plant is well-established, using the cut-and-come-again method.
- Snip stems close to the base, leaving the inner leaves to continue growing.
Storing & Freezing
Fridge 3–4 days; freezes 3 months in sauce. Keep pasta/grains separate and cook or cool-and-reheat them properly.
