• This brings an Italian flavour to a veryEnglish tradition. Get your butcher to debone, skin and mince 2 turkey drumsticks. Alternatively, use chicken mince.

    TO DRINK: Lomond Merlot 2005, ideal companion for any tomato-based dish.

    Turkey meatballs withslow-roasted tomato sauce and tagliatelle

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • MEATBALLS
    • 600g turkey mince
    • 5ml (1 tsp) fresh sage, chopped
    • 5ml (1 tsp) fresh oregano, chopped
    • 5ml (1 tsp) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
    • 1 large egg
    • 5ml (1 tsp) lemon zest
    • 70g breadcrumbs
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) water
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 100g butter
    • 50ml sunflower oil
    • 10 Roma tomatoes, quartered
    • olive oil, for drizzling
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • juice of ½ a lemon
    • 250ml (1 cup) tomato purée
    • 10ml (2 tsp) chicken stock powder
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) sugar
    • 500g tagliatelle, cooked al dente
    • Parmesan, freshly grated, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    To make the meatballs, combine the mince, herbs, egg, zest, breadcrumbs and water. Season and mix well until firm. Roll into small meatballs and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

    2

    Heat the butter and sunflower oil in a large frying pan to very hot and fry the meatballs until brown, about 2 minutes. They don’t need to be cooked through. Drain on paper towel.

    3

    Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Place the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast until soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then pulse in a food processor until slightly chunky.

    4

    Combine the tomatoes, lemon juice, tomato purée, stock powder, sugar and meatballs in a large saucepan and slow-cook on very low heat for 1 hour.

    5

    Serve with the pasta and Parmesan.