Pumpkin and Turkey Meatballs

A simple and tasty recipe for Halloween dinner: meatballs stuffed with turkey and yellow pumpkin.

300 g of AIA Turkey Thigh Bites

300 g of yellow pumpkin

80 g of breadcrumbs

60 g grated Parmesan

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

Mint as needed

Extra virgin olive oil as needed

Description

The predominant element for Halloween recipes is pumpkin! Used both for decorating the house and for cooking, at Halloween pumpkin is a must. In fact, the famous orange pumpkin - with carvings that form a disturbing face - has become the real symbol of Halloween night.

In some countries at Halloween it is even a tradition to put these illuminated pumpkins inside the houses, on the windowsills. In Italy this is the right season for pumpkins and therefore, for your Halloween dinner, do not miss this delicious recipe: meatballs stuffed with yellow pumpkin and turkey.

Pumpkin and turkey meatballs are a single dish, rich and genuine that can be served both as a starter and as a second course; they are liked by both children and adults and offer the possibility of eating vegetables in a non-conventional way, convincing even those who are less passionate about vegetables to eat healthily.

Here is the recipe.

Procedure

Clean the pumpkin by removing the seeds and filaments. Keep the seeds, they can be dried to make delicious snacks. Cut slices about 1 cm thick and remove the outer skin. Arrange the slices on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 15 minutes: this time will be necessary to soften the pumpkin which, thanks to the oven cooking, will remain firm and will not lose its true consistency. Check that the pumpkin is cooked by piercing the slices with the prongs of a fork.

Chop the pumpkin and the AIA Turkey Thigh Bites with the help of a hand blender or a blender. Add to the pumpkin and turkey mix the breadcrumbs, the Parmesan, the chopped parsley and the egg yolk. Finally salt and pepper, (you can add a pinch of nutmeg to taste).

Mix all the ingredients well until you get a dense mixture. If it is not, add more breadcrumbs: always remember that, when you make additions, to adjust the salt if necessary. Make small meatballs (diameter about 4 cm), place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper for a lighter cooking. Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C.

To make the pumpkin and turkey meatballs more delicious, proceed to frying, passing them first in breadcrumbs. Then fry the pumpkin meatballs in plenty of hot (not boiling) oil, so the cooking will be a bit longer and the inside will also be well cooked. When the meatballs are golden on the outside place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

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