My Mama's Meatballs

Enjoy This Healthy Family Recipe

Author of "Now Eat This! Italian" prepares classic Italian dishes with a fraction of the fat.

From the kitchen of Rocco DiSpirito

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Servings:Over 8

Difficulty: Easy

Cook Time: 30-60 min

Try Rocco DiSpirito's mama's meatball recipe. Full of lean meat and vegetables, this is comfort food without the guilt.

Ingredients

Olive oil cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup chopped onion

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, such as Swanson's

1½ cups Redpack tomato puree

1½ cups Redpack diced tomatoes

½ medium eggplant, cut in half lengthwise

6 ounces lean ground turkey breast, such as Jennie-O

4 ounces 96% lean ground beef, such as Laura's Lean

2 ounces extra-lean ground pork, such as Farmer John

1 large egg white

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

½ ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

2 cups puffed Kamut cereal, such as Arrowhead Mills

Salt

6 ounces 100% Kamut Intregrale

Spaghetti, such as Alce Nero

Cooking Directions

Preheat the broiler. Coat a large skillet with 4 seconds of cooking spray. Add half the garlic and half the onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes, place over medium heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add half the chicken broth, half the tomato puree, and half the diced tomatoes; bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Place the eggplant cut-side-up on a broiler pan and broil until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the broiler, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave on high until tender, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Scoop the eggplant pulp out of its skin and let any excess water drip off. Measure out ½ cup of the pulp, then chop it fine.

Combine the turkey, beef, and pork in a large bowl. Place the egg white, the remaining chicken broth, remaining onion, remaining garlic, and the parsley in a blender and blend until finely chopped (not pureed), about 30 seconds. Add the mixture to the meat; add the Parmigiano and crumble the Kamut cereal in with your fingers. Add the eggplant, season with salt and red pepper flakes, and mix gently, using a wooden spoon or your hands until it forms a very thick wet paste.

Use a tablespoon to measure 16 equal heaping mounds onto a clean work surface and form the mounds into balls with your hands. Coat a large nonstick skillet with 4 seconds of cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until lightly browned on one side, about 1 minute. Roll the meatballs and brown on the other side, about 2 minutes.

Remove the browned meatballs from the pan and gently place in the tomato sauce; coat the pan with another 4 seconds of cooking spray, and brown the rest of the meatballs. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook at a low simmer for 1 hour. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Drop the spaghetti in the water

and cook according to the package instructions.

Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. Place 4 meatballs on each of 4 plates, then add the spaghetti to the remaining sauce in the pan along with ½ cup of the pasta water; cook until the sauce holds well on the pasta. Divide the spaghetti among the plates.

Recipe courtesy Rocco

This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America.