Ottolenghi's Turkey-Zucchini Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce and Sumac

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lbs. freshly ground turkey
• 2 small zucchini, grated and water pressed out
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Small handful coarsely chopped fresh mint
• Small handful coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp. crushed or minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. Vege-Sal
• Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. Aleppo Pepper
• 1 egg
• Tzatziki Sauce, for serving, optional but recommended
• Sumac, for serving, optional but recommended

Directions

1. Prepare the Tzatziki Sauce, if you’re serving it, and tuck it into the refrigerator to cool for several hours. Heat the broiler, then mist a baking rack or baking sheet lightly with non-stick spray.
2. Set the meat on the counter so it can lose its chill while you handle the zucchini and herbs. Shred the zucchini with the grating attachment of a food processor, or use a hand grater if that’s easier. Spread the shreds between doubled paper towels, then weight them with something sturdy, such as a cast iron pan, to squeeze out the excess moisture.
3. Cut the green onion into slices, and roughly chop the mint and parsley, aiming for enough of each to equal about 2 tablespoons once finely chopped. Swap in the steel chopping blade in the food processor, add the herbs, and pulse until they begin to break down; they’ll get a little more chopping later.
4. Add the drained zucchini to the processor and pulse a couple of times to make it finer. Next, add the garlic, cumin, Vege-Sal or salt, black pepper, Aleppo Pepper or Cayenne, and egg, then pulse only until the mixture is evenly combined.
5. Scrape the mixture into a bowl so the shaping is simpler. With your hands or a Cookie Scoop, make small meatballs and arrange them on the prepared rack. You should have 20 meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches across.
6. Broil the meatballs about 4-5 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Some juices may seep out, even with freshly ground turkey; just leave them be and keep going.
7. Flip the meatballs over and broil for 10 minutes, or a little longer if needed, until the second side is browned and the centers are cooked through. An instant read meat thermometer should register 160F/70C in the middle.
8. Serve the meatballs hot, adding Tzatziki Sauce and a sprinkle of Sumac if you’d like. Store leftovers in the fridge for several days. They can probably be frozen, though that part may be hard to test if they disappear quickly.