As of right now, this is probably my favorite recipe to date. I love the flavors in this dish. It’s rich in flavor, but you don’t feel guilty after eating it!
This recipe is from the Half Baked Harvest Blog.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 lemon, sliced and seeds removed
- 2 Tablespoon drained capers
- 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
LEMON PASTA CARBONARO:
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 3/4 pound spaghetti or bucatini pasta (I use Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti)
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with oil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the chicken, grated zucchini, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, the parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with olive oil and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (this will make 20-22 meatballs). Place on the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the lemon slices around the meatballs. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, slide the meatballs to one side of the pan, add the remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs, and the capers. Toss the crumbs and capers with 2 tablespoon olive oil and the red pepper flakes. Return to the oven and cook another 5 minutes, watching closely, until the meatballs are cooked through and the crumbs golden.
- Remove the breadcrumbs from the pan. Season with salt. Remove the lemon from the pan. Finely chop the lemon slices and mix with 1/2 cup fresh basil, reserving the mix for tossing with the pasta.
- Meanwhile, make the carbonara. Whisk together the eggs, parmesan, garlic, and basil, in a large serving bowl.
- Boil the pasta until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup pasta water, then drain. Immediately add the hot pasta to the egg/cheese mixture, tossing quickly (to ensure the eggs do not scramble) until the eggs thicken and create a sauce. Thin the sauce with the reserved pasta water, until it reaches your desired consistency. Add the butter and about a 1/4 of the reserved lemon basil mix, gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the pasta between plates. Top with meatballs, breadcrumbs, and additional lemon/basil, to taste. Twirl the pasta up…EAT and ENJOY.
