Advertisement

Taste of Italy turkey burger

Time 1 hour
Yields Serves 6
Share via
Print RecipePrint Recipe

This burger is packed with the flavors of Italy. Basil, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, pecorino Romano cheese, among others fill the patty, which is surrounded by rich, hearty pasta sauce, provolone cheese, mushrooms and kalamata olives. With each bite you think you’re in your favorite Italian restaurant or sitting on a balcony in a villa overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean along the Amalfi coast. Enjoy it with your favorite glass of wine, a little pasta or fresh grilled summer vegetables.

From the story: Recipe: Taste of Italy turkey burger

Read More Read Less
Advertisement

Turkey burgers

1

In a large bowl, crumble the ground turkey along with the chopped red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, basil and oregano.

2

In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Beat in the pasta sauce and olive oil. Pour the sauce mixture over the seasoned turkey and mix to combine.

3

Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes, bread crumbs and one-third cup of the cheese, mixing gently by hand until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

4

Divide the mixture and form 6 patties, coating them with the remaining cheese. Set aside to rest briefly. The patties can be assembled up to one day in advance, covered and refrigerated until ready to grill; remove the burgers from the refrigerator 15 minutes prior to cooking to temper slightly.

Sauteed mushrooms and olives

1

Just before cooking the burgers, heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms with the salt and pepper and saute until lightly colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the wine and olives, and keep the mixture over low heat until ready to make the sandwiches.

1

Heat the oven to 200 degrees.

2

Cook the burgers: Because the burgers are delicate, you might want to heat a cast iron grill pan on the grill, or cook them in a large frying pan. Heat the grill or frying pan over medium high heat. Coat the surface with a little spray oil and gently add the patties. Lower the heat to medium and cook the burgers for 4 minutes, careful not to move them until they are ready to turn. Gently and carefully flip the burgers using a spatula and your hand. Cook an additional 4 minutes, and check for doneness; a meat thermometer inserted should read 165 degrees.

3

Reduce the heat to medium-low and top the burgers with cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese melts, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Gently remove the burgers and set aside to rest for a couple of minutes.

4

While the cheese is melting, slice the rolls. Place them in the oven to warm for a few minutes.

5

Assemble the burgers: Spoon the sauteed mushrooms and olives over the bottoms of each of the 6 rolls, followed by a slice of tomato. Place a burger on top of each. Divide the pasta sauce among the 6 burgers, spooning one-fourth cup of sauce over each. Cover each burger with a roll top and serve immediately.

From George Levinthal of Goleta, Calif. This burger was a finalist in the Times’ 2012 Battle of the Burgers.

Prepared tomato-basil pasta sauce is available at most markets.