Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 3 cups crustless country bread, cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 2/3 cup milk
• 900 gr. ground turkey (85-92% lean meat)
• 230 g sweet Italian pork sausage from fresh mince (remove casing)
• 110 g of finely chopped thin slices of dry-cured prosciutto ham
• 1 cup freshly grated aged Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red hot pepper petals
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons good quality olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing the meatballs
• 2 very large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 jars (700 g each) marinara sauce good quality
• 900 gr. dry spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan (or asiago) for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 205C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until medium-sized crumbs form. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add milk. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, ground pork, prosciutto, bread crumbs, asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1.5 teaspoons pepper. Lightly mix the ingredients with your hands. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the eggs and mix the ground meat with a fork.
4. Using your hands, roll the mixture into 5 cm diameter balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through.
5. Pour the marinara sauce into a large shallow saucepan, add the meatballs and bring to a simmer.
6. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain, divide the spaghetti among shallow bowls, top with 3 meatballs, and drizzle with plenty of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese.