turkey meatballs

2 1/4 cups (6 oz) panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 cup milk)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 lbs ground turkey (or 2 lbs 85% lean ground beef + 1 lb ground pork)
6 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced and chopped fine
3 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 TBSP minced fresh parsley leaves
3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 TBSP)
1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin, dissolved in 3 TBSP cold water
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. Place wire racks in 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions. Heat oven to 450F.
   
2. Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in a large bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with a fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.
3. Add eggs, ground meat, prosciutto, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper to bread crumb mixture. Using hands, gently mix until thoroughly combined. Lightly form about 1/4 cup mixture into 2-inch round meatball (about 2 oz); repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 40 meatballs.
4. Spray wire racks with nonstick cooking spray and place meatballs, evenly spaced, on racks; roast until browned, about 30 minutes, rotating trays from front to back and top to bottom halfway through.
5. Remove meatballs from oven and lower oven temperature to 300F. Gently add meatballs to sauce, cover pot, and place in oven. Cook until meatballs are firm, about 1 hour.
   

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, Nov/Dec 2010.