When we cannot find fresh basil, we turn to spinach instead. Our spinach pesto recipe is made almost the same way as our recipe for basil pesto. We use a food processor to blend the spinach with nuts and garlic then slowly steam in olive oil until a sauce forms. We stir in parmesan and season with salt and it is done. We had some fun with the turkey meatballs — they have chopped spinach, plumped up dried fruit and garlic mixed in. The fruit might seem weird, but it adds a little pop of sweetness to balance out all the garlic and greens. To plump up the fruit, we soak them in warmed Marsala or Madeira wine. This adds a little more flavor, but if you don’t have them in your kitchen, plain hot water will still do the trick. Recipe updated, originally posted November 2009. Since posting this in 2009, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne One pound of meat will make 22 to 24 meatballs. 1 pound spinach, rinsed (about 4 cups) 2 cloves garlic, roughly minced 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (1/2 cup) Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots 2 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 large egg 2 tablespoons grated or very finely chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup baby spinach leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 pound ground dark turkey meat Cooking spray or olive oil for baking 1 pound dry spaghetti 2Add the spinach, walnuts and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times so everything is chopped small. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl. Once all the olive oil has been added, check the consistency of the pesto — we like it to have some texture. If you prefer it smoother, pulse a few more times. 3Transfer pesto to a bowl then stir in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store for later. 2In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, chopped spinach, feta cheese, salt and the pepper until well blended. Stir in the dried fruit then use a fork to gently mix in the turkey meat. 3Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 4Roll meatball mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the baking sheet. Spray tops of meatballs with cooking spray or drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
