Big Fat Mediterranean Stuffers

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

Ingredients

8 Large Basil Leaves (appro. 1 packed tablespoon)
Leaves from 9 large Italian Parsley sprigs (approx. 1/8 packed cup)
1 med. spanish onion (approx. 1/2 pound halves)
10 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. course ground pepper
2 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon. sea salt
2 pounds ground chuck
2 large eggs
3/4 cup italian bread crumbs

Filling:
8 oz. pine nuts
12 pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup Sutter Home white Zinfadel wine
8 oz.crumbled Feta Cheese
6 Kaiser Rolls sliced in half
1/4 cup olive oil (for brushing rolls)

 

Instructions

Finely chop basil,parsley,1/2 the spanish onion and 6 Garlic cloves, place in an extra large mixing bowl. Add oregano, salt and pepper. Toss with a dinner fork until well blended/mixed. Add ground chuck,eggs and bread crumbs. Fold until well blended, no more then 10 good folds, you don't want to toughen the meat. Seperate mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into balls. Wrap each meatball with plastic wrap and refridgerate. Place pine nuts in medium mixing bowl. Finely chop remaining onion, garlic and Kalamata olives. Place them in the medium mixing bowl with the pine nuts. Add the 1/4 cu of wine and toss the ingredients. Add the 8 oz. of Feta cheese and toss. Cover and let stand while preparing the grill. Prepare Grill- a cruel fact of life is, every grill is different. Wrap racks in non-stick aluminum foil and close lid while grill is heating and then go assemble your burgers. Unwrap one meatball and flatten in the palm of you hand until it's 5 or 6 inches in diameter (about 1/2" thick). Scoop out 3 tablespoons of pine nut mixture squeezing out the juice as you run up the side of the bowl. Place mixture in the center of the patty, fold meat over pine nut mixture shaping into a burger and ssealing all cracks. Repeat for remaining 5 burgers. Take burgers to grill ans place them on the rack. Cook the burgers on each side for about 10-12 minutes with the lid closed. Remover and let rest. Lightly brush each Kaiser roll with olive oil before toasting them on the grill. Serve each burger on a toasted kaiser roll with one tablespoon of cucumber ranch salad dressing.