Taste of Italy Pizza Burger

Pairs well with:

Pinot Noir

Every pour of our Pinot Noir brings you a delicious blend of berry flavors and the romantic aroma of violet.

Ingredients

1 “log” of pepperoni,
7 ounces 1/2 cup shallots, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel 1
(16) ounce jar of Colavita Marinara Pasta Sauce
1 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped finely
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped finely
2.5 lbs Ground Angus Sirloin
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
Olive oil for cleaning the grill
1 pound block of mozzarella cheese
2 large, whole wheat ready made pizza crusts. Thin crusts work best 1 (6) ounce bag baby spinach

 

Instructions

Bring one side of the grill to high heat. Slice the pepperoni diagonally into 1/8 inch slices. Cook the pepperoni in a large, oven proof skillet on the hottest part of the grill for about 5 – 7 minutes. Set the pepperoni aside to drain on paper towels but keep the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the shallots to the hot skillet and cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. While the shallots are cooking, take one of the garlic cloves and slice it in half lengthwise. Set one half aside for later use. Smash and chop the remaining garlic on a cutting board with the salt and pepper. Use the flat side of the knife and the abrasiveness of the salt to break down the garlic into almost a paste. After the shallots have cooked for about 5 minutes, add the garlic, salt and pepper paste and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add half of the wine to the pan and reserve the other half for later use. Continue cooking until the mixture is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the pasta sauce and continue cooking for 3 – 4 minutes. After 4 minutes set the mixture aside in a small bowl and allowing it to cool. Pour the remaining sauce into the hot skillet with the remaining wine. Bring the grill temperature down to medium low heat and allow the sauce to reduce very slowly, stirring every 5 minutes. Mix the oregano and basil together. Set 2 teaspoons aside for garnishing. Mix the ground beef with the sausage in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the cooled shallot mixture and all but 2 teaspoons of the herb mixture. Be gentile to the meat while mixing. Try not to compress the meat while mixing. Divide the meat into half and each half into thirds. Form a triangular patty from each portion. Set the patties aside in a cool location after they are formed. Preheat one side of the grill to medium high heat. When the grate is hot, clean with a wire brush and brush the grate with olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the patties directly over medium high heat and cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes rotate the burgers 45 degrees and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Flip the burgers over and top them with tablespoon of the warm pasta sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, rotate 45 degrees, then cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the burgers from heat, place in a baking dish and cover the dish with foil. Slice the cheese into 1/4 inch slices. Top the warm patties with the cheese as soon as possible making sure to keep everything properly tented. Make sure your foil is not touching the cheese when tenting. To make the “buns”, take the reserved garlic half and rub the pizza crusts with it cut side facing the crusts. Rub all four sides of the crusts. Remove everything from the grill and place both sides on medium high heat. Place the crusts on the grill and grill for about 1 to 2 minutes for each side. Remove the crusts from the grill and stack them on top of each other. Use a pizza cutter to cut both crusts at once. Cut it in half and each half into thirds, yielding 12 slices of crusts which will become our burger “buns”. To assemble the burgers, take a slice of crust and spread about a tablespoon of the warm sauce over it. Top the crust with a 5 or 6 leaves of baby spinach. Add the cheese topped patty on top of the spinach. Top the cheese off with 5 or 6 slices of the cooked pepperoni. Sprinkle the pepperoni with a pinch of the remaining herb mixture. Take the top slice of crust and spread about a tablespoon of sauce on it. Place the top on the bottom sauce side down. Repeat for the remaining 5 burgers. Serves 6