Turkey Meatballs with Almonds

Ingredients:

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
2 bay leaves
Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
2 eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 garlic cloves, chopped

Preparation:

For sauce:
Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, tomato and bell pepper and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add chicken broth, almonds, and bay leaves and simmer until sauce is thick and chunky, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before using.)

For meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Thoroughly combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. Arrange meatballs on heavy large baking sheet. Bake until cooked through and firm to touch, about 12 minutes.

Divide meatballs among 4 plates. Spoon sauce over. Garnish with sliced almonds and serve.