Pasta with seasoned ground turkey, aromatic paprika sauce, and dill garnish in a quick Turkish style.
# Components:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or shells)
02 - Salt, for boiling water
→ Ground Turkey Mixture
03 - 1 lb lean ground turkey
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
10 - 1 tsp salt
→ Yogurt Sauce
11 - 1 ¼ cups plain Greek yogurt
12 - 1 clove garlic, grated
13 - ½ tsp salt
14 - Juice of ½ lemon
→ Paprika Butter
15 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
16 - 1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
17 - ½ tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Garnishes
18 - 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped
19 - Additional yogurt or lemon wedges (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
04 - Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, grated garlic, salt, and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
06 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes if using, swirling until aromatic but not browned. Remove from heat.
07 - Toss drained pasta with the turkey mixture. Add reserved pasta water gradually until sauce reaches desired silkiness.
08 - Place a spoonful of yogurt sauce on each serving plate. Top with pasta and turkey mixture, drizzle with paprika butter, and garnish with fresh dill or parsley.
