Makes 30 1-inch meatballs, or 15 2-inch meatballs.
Ingredients
3 slices of bacon
1 lb ground turkey (I use 93% fat-free)
6 chopped sun-dried tomato halves (not oil-packed) or slow roasted tomato halves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat (silicone mat) or parchment paper, and set aside.
Cook the bacon, in a nonstick frying pan or in the oven, until crisp but not burned. Blot with paper towels to remove excess bacon fat, and cut the bacon into small dice.
Add the bacon to a large mixing bowl with all of the remaining ingredients except the salt.
With your hands, mix just until the ingredients are incorporated evenly; do not overmix.
In the same frying pan in which you cooked the bacon, sauté a tablespoon of the meatball mixture until browned on both sides. Taste, and add salt to the meat mixture if needed. (Never taste raw turkey!)
Use a small ice cream scoop with a release (called a disher), or a tablespoon, to form the meatballs into 1-inch size. (Or, use a larger scoop to form 2-inch meatballs.) Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 18 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature, in a pita, just like a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.