Caprese burgers
For the burgers:
- 2 1/2 pounds ground sirloin beef
- 1 cup Isabella’s Signature Pesto (recipe follows)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (7- to 8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 8 1/4-inch-thick slices, patted dry with paper towels
For Isabella’s Signature Pesto:
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- ¾ cup grated Romano cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Add everything but the extra virgin olive oil in a food processor and puree. While the processor is running add the extra virgin olive oil to blend.
For the pesto mayonnaise:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Isabella’s Signature Pesto
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 8 3-inch-square pieces of tomato or plain foccacia bread, halved, or 8 hamburger buns, halved
- 4 medium tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, to yield 16 slices
Preparation:
To make the burgers: Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, pesto, Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 8 (4-inch diameter) patties, each about 3/4-inch thick. Grill for 5 minutes. Turn the burgers over and cook for 3 minutes. Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top and continue to cook for about 2 minutes longer until the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is slightly melted. Allow the burgers to rest for 5 minutes.
Tip: Freeze the mozzarella cheese for 20 minutes to make slicing easier.
To make the pesto mayonnaise: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and pesto until smooth.
Drizzle the cut side of the bread with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the pesto mayonnaise over the bottom halves of the grilled bread. Place the burgers on top and add 2 tomato slices. Add the top halves of the bread and serve.
