Spicy Pink Turkey Bolognese over Quinoa Pasta Shells served with Cheesy Balsamic Garlic Bread

Green Girl Goodies, November 2012

This sauce is a tasty spicy twist on your traditional Bolognese sauce.  Ground Turkey is a healthier option than your typical ground beef and I added some crushed red pepper to the onions and garlic while they were sweating to give the sauce a little kick.  While it isn’t the healthiest option, I added a little cream as well to add some richness to the sauce.  The sauce would be delicious in a lasagna or over any sort of pasta but I chose to serve it with Quinoa pasta shells hoping the added nutritional value of the quinoa pasta would slightly offset the heavy amount of dairy and carbohydrates already in the meal  :)  I paired the pasta with some delicious Cheesy Balsamic Garlic Bread and topped it with some grated parmesan for a pleasant and satisfying meal; great in the cold winter weather!

Spicy Pink Turkey Bolognese Sauce

Yield approximately 4 ½ c

1 lb Ground Turkey

2 ½ c Diced Tomatoes in Juice

1 1/3 c Yellow Onion, small dice

6 oz Tomato Paste

2/3 c Heavy Cream

2 tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 ½ tb Garlic, minced

1 tb Crushed Red Pepper

1 tb Kosher Salt

12 Turns Freshly Ground Black Pepper

-     Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper.

-     Sweat the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper then add the ground turkey.  Add a ½ tb of salt and all the pepper.  Stir to cook, using a spoon to break up the turkey as it cooks.

 

 

 

-     Once the meat is cooked thru reduce the heat to medium and add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and remaining ½ tb of salt.  Stir well to mix and thicken the sauce.

 

-     Slowly add the cream, stirring to mix.  Reduce the heat to low and bring the sauce to a simmer briefly to finish cooking the sauce.

 

-    Serve immediately over your choice of pasta or cool completely and refrigerate for up to a week.

Cheesy Balsamic Garlic Bread

Yield 2 to 4 servings

2 tb Butter

1 tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tb Slice Garlic

1 tb Dried Oregano

1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

2 pinches of Sea Salt

3 Turns of Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

1 large slice of Muenster Cheese

1 6 inch Baguette

-     Combine all the ingredients in a small sauté pan and bring to a simmer over medium low heat, being careful not to burn the butter.

-     Simmer the ingredients until fragrant then spread them onto your bread.  Then top the bread with the sliced cheese.

-     Broil the prepared garlic bread for approximately 2 ½ minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.  Enjoy immediately!

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Additional Ingredients:

Quinoa Pasta Shells, cooked according to package instructions and held hot

-     Divide the pasta accordingly and add your preferred amount of sauce.  Top the dish with grated parmesan cheese as desired and complete the meal with the Cheesy Balsamic Garlic Bread.

Up Next…

Breakfast Egg-Fu Frittata topped with Fresh Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomatoes