Turkey and Ham Meatballs with Smoky Bean Purée
Ingredients
Ingredients for the meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ cup fully cooked smoked ham cut to small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium sized garlic clove pressed or finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup bread crumbs I used whole wheat
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- a handful of parsley leaves finely chopped
Ingredients for the bean purée
- 1 can withe beans + ¼ cup of the liquid 15.5 oz
- 1 can red beans 15.5 oz, drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Other Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil I use avocado oil
- more Parmesan and chopped parsley for topping
Instructions
To prepare the meatballs
- Add all the ingredients for the meatballs in a deep bowl and mix well.
- Scoop about a tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a meatball. Repeat until you are out of mixture. I ended up with 23 small meatballs.
- You can bake the meatballs at 450F for 10 minutes. If you decide to pan fry them add two tablespoons of cooking oil in a deep pan and cook for about a minute per side.
To make the pure
- Drain and rinse one can of white beans and one can of red beans. Save ¼ cup of the liquid in the can or use water. Add the beans, ¼ cup of the liquid from the can, smoked paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Transfer the purée in a casserole and heat it up on medium low heat for a few minutes before serving.
To assemble the dish
- Add some of the bean purée in a plate then add three-four of the meatballs on top. Grate some fresh Parmesan on top and finish with some fresh parsley. Enjoy while it is warm.