Zesty Italian Burgers
Rich Zesty Italian Burgers layered with pancetta, smoked mozzarella, pesto, and grilled onions.
We Americans like our comfort food.
We are always trying to turn the unfamiliar into the familiar. You have to agree, this is better than the old tradition of shunning the unfamiliar altogether.
American fusion food is a great example of this new-found fascination.
Dishes such as Mexican pizza and Asian-style hot dogs are just the beginning of our efforts to bring world flavors into the main stream. You can hardly go out-to-eat without seeing menus with ingredients from all over the globe. What an exciting time in culinary history!
Italian food has made its way, full-force, into the heart of America.
Very few people here would ever think of it as an exotic style of cooking. Americans eat pizza, pasta, cured meats, and cheese in enormous amounts, probably only comparable to the eating habits of, let’s say…Italians!?
So I thought it would be fun to take the comforting flavors of Italy and layer them, like a warm fuzzy blanket, over the only thing that might be even more comforting. A hamburger.
Introducing Zesty Italian Burgers. A combinations of all my favorite Italian flavors in one meaty sandwich!
These Zesty Italian Burgers are piled with smoked mozzarella cheese, pesto, pancetta, grilled red onions, ripe tomato slices, arugula and tomato-butter on a ciabatta bun.
Zesty Italian Burgers are glorious dripping towers of international bliss. American style!
Zesty Italian Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 8 slices pancetta
- 4 ounces basil pesto (or make your own!)
- 1 large ball smoked mozzarella
- 1 red onion, cut into thin rounds
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- Baby arugula
- ripe tomato slices
- 4 ciabatta buns
Instructions
- Heat the grill to high. Divide the ground beef into 4 portions. Salt and pepper the patties. Layer each patty with a slice of pancetta on top and bottom. Press the pancetta into each patty.
- Cut the onion and mozzarella into rounds. Melt the butter and mix it with the tomato paste and anchovy paste. Cut the ciabatta buns and brush the insides with tomato-butter.
- Carefully brush the grill with oil or use non-stick grill spray. Grill the patties and onions at the same time. Grill the patties for 3-5 minutes per side and the onions for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Once you flip the burgers, lay the onion rounds over the top of each patty, followed by the mozzarella slices. The cheese will melt while the burgers finish cooking.
- Place the buns on the open grill and toast for 1 minute. Once the buns are toasted, slather them with pesto. Layer arugula leaves, tomato slices and a patty on each bun. Top and serve!
Notes
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Now THAT looks heavenly! I love those Italian ingredients.
Perfect Italian style burgers, very creative, I think you nailed all the flavors and they look grilled to perfection:)
Waw!! I love everything in & round & on top of that burger!! It all looks so tasty & mighty pretty too!
MMMMMMMMMM,..fantastic real flavours in here & I also love the fact that you made your own pesto!
Yummmm,…!!!
You know I like pesto on burgers, but I definitely think adding pork into the mix is a brilliant idea. This is one of the better versions of fusion food–some of it is SO weird!
Glorious. Delicious and glorious. Of course, if you could please make mine with a bit more pink in the middle? Medium rare is perfect. Wow, that looks so good.
This burger looks delicious. Great pictures, too. And you're right, we Americans really can't resist good comfort foods!
Wow, this burger is absolutely mouthwatering…
Good idea, Sommer! I love fusion food-there is no shame in it, girl (smile). Plus, this looks really wonderful. Oh, how I do miss burgers…Oh;)
You had me at smoked mozzarella. YUMMY YUMMY IN MY TUMMY! This looks so good to me. I am going to make it. My husband has been challenging me to make him the ultimate burger and i think i found it!
my do these look delicious!! must try it out sometime!!
I'd like to be nearby when you make these just to smell the aroma of those amazing burgers grilling. Yum!!
I have a question about the examiner gig you have going. How often do you have to post?
Italian Burger…I'm sold! Love the pancetta, tomato butter, and pesto. Put it all on ciabatta and that's pretty much heaven. I think this would also be good with some other meats mixed in the burger like pork and veal.
They look excellent! A perfect combination of flavours. Who said "burgers" are the junk food?
An excellent burger, I love the combo of pancetta and mozarella and pesto here!
Oh how beautiful this burger is. Even though I don't eat burgers, this one is really tempting and mouthwatering!
I don't even eat meat, but love this…These flavors are fantastic :)
That burger is to die for!!! All of my favorite Italian ingredients. Yummy!!!
Sommer, this burger looks absolutely delicious! I love the addition of pancetta. Save one for me please!