Italian-style Hamburgers: Big Flavor & So Easy!…
There are those who like to listen to the sound of rain, with the blinds half down while listening to De Gregori. There are those who love to hear reggaeton blaring in their van while delivering parcel after parcel. And there are those who, like our cook Manuel, would spend hours and hours listening to meat sizzling in the pan. There is no better music for his ears, and preparing this Italian-style burger was very satisfying for him! This sandwich has nothing to envy American burgers; instead of cheddar and ketchup we chose to use all ingredients typical of our boot.
Ingredients For 4 hamburgers:
- 4 hamburger buns
- 800g (1.76 lbs) ground chuck (shoulder beef)
- 130g (4.6 oz) Caciocavallo Silano cheese
- 50g (1.76 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- Lettuce, as needed
- Butter (for greasing the buns), as needed
- Fine salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
For caramelized onions:
- 150g (5.3 oz) red Tropea onions
- 150ml (5 fl oz) water
- 30g (1 oz) brown sugar
For basil mayonnaise:
- 1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 10g (2 tsp) lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Basil, as needed
- 150ml (5 fl oz) vegetable oil
How to make Italian-style hamburgers:
- To prepare the Italian-style hamburger first start by making the basil mayonnaise; it is important that all the ingredients are at room temperature. Pour the yolk into a high-sided container, add a pinch of salt and pepper; also add the grated zest of the lemon, then squeeze out the juice and add g.
- Start blending with an immersion blender, adding the seed oil flush, until you get a creamy mayonnaise. Then add the basil leaves and blend again. Keep your basil mayonnaise aside.
- Take care of the caramelized onions: peel the onion, divide it in half and then into slices; transfer them to a saucepan with half the amount of water
- add the brown sugar and cook for a few minutes. Then add the remaining water as well and continue cooking until it has evaporated completely. In all, it will take about 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, take care of preparing the burgers, using 200 g of meat for each: you will get 4. Press them lightly with your hands to give them the desired shape, then season them with salt, pepper and a drizzle of oil on both sides. Heat a saucepan well and place the burgers on it, wait 6 minutes and flip them to the other side.
- Meanwhile, slice the caciocavallo cheese and place it on the burgers, then add some water which will serve to make some steam, cover with a lid and finish cooking for another 6 minutes,
- until the caciocavallo cheese is completely melted. This way you will get rare burgers if you prefer you can extend the cooking for another 3-4 minutes for medium cooking. In the meantime, take care of the buns as well, divide them in half, butter the halves to make the inside soft
- and toast them a few moments on a hot griddle, with the side to be stuffed lying on the griddle. Then arrange them on a cutting board and place the basil mayonnaise on the base.
- Add the previously washed lettuce leaves, then place the meatball on top and a few caramelized onions.
- Finish with the sun-dried cherry tomatoes (drained of their preserving oil), close the bun and serve your Italian-style burgers still warm! You can accompany them with tasty French fries!
Bon Appétit!
