Worms and Eyeballs

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger root
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 small red pepper, 1/4 finely chopped and the remainder thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, Chinese style barbecue sauce
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 3/4 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup bean spouts
• 1 cup snow pea pods, julienne cut
• 1 pound bucatini, cooked to al dente
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup dark soy (Tamari) sauce, eyeball it

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine chicken, garlic, ginger, scallions, finely chopped red bell pepper, hoisin and salt and pepper. Roll meatballs into the size of chicken eyeballs. Place balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and coat lightly with vegetable oil, about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Roll balls around with your hands to gently coat with the oil. Roast the chicken eyeballs 10 to 12 minutes in a very hot oven.

About 5 minutes from the meatballs coming out of the oven, start stir-frying the veggies. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the sliced red bell pepper, carrots, spouts and pea pods to hot pan. Stir fry 1 minute, then drain noodles and add them to the vegetables. Add dark soy sauce to the noodles and toss to combine and evenly coat.

Transfer noodles to a serving platter and top with chicken eyeballs.