Italian Meatball Burgers Recipes

JUICY LUCY MEATBALL BURGER

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Mix the meatball mix, parsley, Parmesan, fennel, 2 of the garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 4 equal balls. Working with one ball at a time, divide it in half and flatten to make 2 patties about 5 inches in diameter. Fold 2 slices of mozzarella into quarters and place into the center of the patty. Top with the other patty and press the meat together very tightly, forming a large patty shape with the cheese secured inside. Repeat with the remaining balls and 6 of the cheese slices. (At this point, you can freeze the burgers. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.)
• Cook the pancetta in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, flipping once, until the fat has released and it's crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the burgers to the pan and cook, flipping once and topping each patty with 1 slice of the remaining cheese with 1 minute of cooking time left. Cook until nicely golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees F for medium, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl and stir in the remaining garlic. Place the hamburger buns onto a baking sheet and brush both sides with the garlic butter. Broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons marinara sauce on each bottom half of the buns. Place a burger patty on top of the bottom half of the bun. Then top each burger with a spoonful of marinara, 2 pieces of pancetta, a sprinkle of Parmesan and the top half of the bun.

ROASTED ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Place the sirloin, pork, and veal in a large mixing bowl and lightly break up the meats with a fork and your fingertips. Add the bread crumbs, Pecorino, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the eggs, wine, and 3/4 cup water and combine lightly but thoroughly.
• Measure out 2-ounce portions of the mixture (I use a rounded 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop) and roll each lightly into a ball. Place one inch apart on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with the olive oil.
• Bake the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Pour the marinara into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Carefully add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes, until heated through.
• To serve with polenta, spoon a puddle of creamy Parmesan polenta on one side of each dinner plate. Spoon 1 or 2 meatballs plus a puddle of tomato sauce on the other side, allowing them to combine in the center of the plate. To serve with spaghetti, distribute among shallow pasta bowls. Spoon the meatballs and sauce onto the pasta. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan and serve hot.
• Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Switch to a wooden spoon, add the salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring almost constantly, for 10 minutes, until thick. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly while you're stirring. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, creme fraiche, and butter. Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

ITALIAN MEATBALL BURGER

Steps:

• Prepare grill.
• Remove casings from sausage. Combine sausage, oregano, basil, salt, fennel seeds, and ground sirloin. Divide beef mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 inch patty.
• Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes. Turn patties over; grill 2 minutes. Divide fresh mozzarella cheese evenly over patties, and grill an additional 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes.
• Place rolls, cut side down on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half, top with 2 tablespoons of sauce, and top with other half of roll.
• Raw burgers freeze well.

MAMA IULIUCCI'S FAMOUS MEAT-A-BALLS (ITALIAN MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients gently in a large bowl until well combined.
• Roll meatballs 1 1/2- 1 3/4" in diameter.
• Heat about 1/4" of oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.
• Fry meatballs in oil, rolling frequently, until evenly browned and juices run clear.
• Drop meatballs in your favorite sauce (I highly recommend My Mama Iuliucci's"Don't Skip a Step" Spaghetti Sauce recipe#26947) and let simmer for awhile to flavor sauce or just serve with your favorite pasta and sauce.
• Tip: You can also bake or broil these if the frying part is too much of a hassle-- I use my broiler pan if I bake them, so the fat drips down and away from the meatballs.