Turkey Meatballs

Chef Michael Chernow, co-founder of The Meatball Shop in New York City, knows that the secret to making healthy and delicious meatballs is to nix the extra salt and fat. In his turkey meatball recipe, there are no hockey puck meatballs because the shredded granny smith apple slices and fennel keep them moist and flavorful every time.

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

2. Combine the ground turkey, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, fennel, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

3. Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.

4. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.

5. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch meatballs.