PREP: 45 minutes
COOK: 30 minutes
SERVINGS: 6
This lean beef burger is flavorful and juicy! A red wine tomato sauce tops the gourmet burger along with melted mozzarella cheese. Serve open face on garlic toast or on garlic toasted buns! So delicious; you’ll consider serving these at your next dinner party!
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1/4 ounces sliced pepperoni, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (14.5 ounce) can Red Gold® Petite Diced Tomatoes, drained and juice reserved 1 egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons Red Gold® Tomato Paste 6 slices garlic bread, or ciabatta buns
Directions
- Toast garlic bread according to package directions. Set aside.
- In small skillet add olive oil, onion, garlic, and pepperoni. Cook 3-4 minutes over medium high heat. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, milk and bread crumbs. Add ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, crushed red pepper, crushed fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Add 1/3 cup of the onion and pepperoni mixture and 1/2 cup of the drained petite diced tomatoes. Gently blend all ingredients together with clean hands until combined. Shape into six (6) equal sized burger, about a half inch thick. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- To make the sauce add remaining onion and pepperoni mixture back to the skillet. Over medium heat add the wine and simmer to reduce by half. Add 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, tomato paste and stir to combine. Add remaining diced tomatoes and reserved juice. Gently simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Preheat oven broiler to high.
- In a non-stick skillet over medium heat add 3-4 burgers (depending on skillet size). Cook burgers for 7 minutes and gently flip and cook an additional 7 minutes or until internal temperature reads 160º degrees. Removed cooked burgers to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining burgers. You could also cook burgers on a grill or gill pan.
- Place the 6 slices of garlic bread (or buns) on a baking sheet tray, top each piece of bread with a burger and spoon tomato sauce over the top, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place under broiler 2-3 minutes to melt cheese. Carefully remove and serve.
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