In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, sautéing until it turns golden while taking care not to let it burn. Incorporate the crushed tomatoes, onion halves, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Stir to combine, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and allow the sauce to simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley, crushed garlic, and grated cheese. Using damp hands, blend the mixture until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Shape the mixture into small meatballs, each roughly the size of a ping pong ball (about 1/8 cup each).

If desired, brown the meatballs in a skillet over medium heat, or place them under the broiler on a sheet pan and cook until their tops turn golden, approximately 7-8 minutes. Alternatively, gently add the raw meatballs directly into the simmering sauce.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for around 20 minutes, allowing them to absorb the flavors. Once cooked, discard the bay leaf and onion halves. Serve the meatballs over pasta or on slices of whole wheat Italian bread.

Last Step:

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