Ingredients for 6 servings

For the Meatballs:

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano
¼ cup seasoned whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 large egg, beaten
1 medium zucchini (7 ounces), shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ pounds 93/7 lean ground turkey
Ground black pepper, to taste

For the Sauce:

1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano
4 cloves garlic, smashed slightly
Black pepper, to taste

Directions

For the meatballs: Using paper towels, squeeze all the excess water from the zucchini. Put the zucchini in a large bowl, and add the turkey, bread crumbs, Romano, parsley, garlic, egg, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Gently form 24 meatballs (about 1 ¼ ounces each). Set aside.

For the sauce: In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 1 ½ minutes. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker and add the tomatoes, Romano, bay leaf and pepper to taste.

Slowly drop the meatballs into the sauce so they are all in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours, until meatballs are tender and cooked through. To serve, discard the bay leaf and garnish with basil.