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I wasn’t, and still am not sure what to actually call this sandwich, because it is a replication of a meatball sub, but the meatballs are not round, they are flat like a burger patty. Maybe I should call it Italian burger. I think that is the light switch turning on I hear, it’s a eureka for sure. The name once was meatball sandwich, but now you will see it being called Italian burger. I just needed to think about out loud, well on the key board I guess.
This recipe is really simple. One night I was looking around in my fridge and I was stuck for what to do for dinner. It was one of those days where I didn’t have much of an appetite, and everything you look at doesn’t scream out that’s what I would like to eat, it probably had a lot to do with the wide variety of baking and taste testing I was doing earlier that day. Any way I wanted something simple that I could just cut in half at least for myself, and still sit at the dinner table with my family for dinner. That is one thing we try to instil in this house every day which is to eat together at the dinner table, even if it’s something small and simple. It’s a good way to catch up on the day that has swiftly passed by.
I had a pound each of ground turkey, chicken and pork in the fridge to originally make some meatballs, my son loves meatballs, especially his Nonna’s meatballs, that’s his grandmother, and who wouldn’t they are the best. I still ask her to make them for me, even though I can make my own, but we all know that some things momma can, and will always make the best, so my mother holds the trophy for the best meatballs. Anyway the ground meat was there and I started out thinking of making meatballs and spaghetti than changed my mind half way through and made meatball burgers instead.
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
- 1 pound extra lean ground chicken
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 1-1/2 tbsp.pecorino romano cheese
- 1-1/2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- handfull freshly chopped parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced very fine
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. dijon mustard
- ½-3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp.pecorino romano cheese
- 1 bag whole wheat thins burger buns
- sliced provolone cheese or mozzarella
- 1 cup warmed up homemade tomato sauce or your favourite pre-made, store bought sauce.
- Preheat oven to 400F, line baking sheet with parchment paper
- Gather all your ingredients, place all ground meats into a large bowl, trying to break it up a little.
- Place both cheeses, bred crumbs, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dijon mustard, sea salt and pepper into the bowl.
- Whisk lightly both eggs in a small dish and pour them into the bowl as well, mix all the ingredients together until everything is well blended. The mixture should hold well together when you roll it in your hands.
- I used a size 16 scoop to portion the mixture into equal size burgers.
- Scoop out a spoon full of the mixture mixture, roll it in your hands, than lightly flatten it.
- On a plate blend bread crumbs, parmesan and pecorino cheese, blend it together.
- Take the flattened burger and press it gently into the bread crumb mixture on both sides, place it on the baking sheet and repeat process till finished.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake it for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven and flip over, place it back into the oven and bake it for another 12-15 minutes till fully cooked, juices run clear, and they are a nice golden brown colour.
- While the burgers are baking prepare the bread, tomato sauce and cheese. I used whole wheat thins bread buns, you can use what ever you like or have on hand.
- I like to toast the buns lightly, place a few slices of either provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese on the bun. Once the burgers are done place a burger onto each bun top with tomato sauce a slice of cheese, sprinkle with parmesan or pecorino, a dash of black pepper and top with the top burger bun. Serve warm.
- You could always place the burger back in the oven for a few minutes under broil just to melt the cheese a little, but watch it carefully not to burn, and make sure to take the top of the burger bun off while doing this.
The above picture are the burgers before baking, and the below picture are the burgers after baking. They are so beautifully golden and crisp.
The picture below is my half a burger, I was to full from all my taste testing that day.
Now the yummy results of my dinner brain storming.
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Welcome to Healthy Adjustments, I'm Alessandra, the one who is always up to something, making messes in the kitchen, and having a vivid passion for living life happy and health with good food, family and friends, and laughing till my sides hurt and the cheeks on my face are cramping. This website is a way for me to share my passions, personal experiences, knowledge, and all the in between stuff. I'm thrilled to have you here visiting my website, and that you are taking the time to take a peak around.I hope that you find my website to be something that you frequently include in your life.
