Lasagna and Meatball Burger

Ingredients

Italian Salsa
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ teaspoon salt 1
½ tablespoon sugar
1 cup onion, diced
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Lasagna Cheese Mix
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Burger
2 lbs ground chuck
½ lb bulk sweet Italian sausage
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
Vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack
2 loaves of Ciabatta bread, ends cut off and cut into 6 pieces. Each piece should be sliced in half to make a bun.
6 thin slices of the mozzarella
Olive oil
1 garlic clove, cut in half long ways

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the Italian Salsa, combine plum tomatoes, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the onion and basil. Mix well and refrigerate until needed. To make the Lasagna Cheese Mix, combine the ricotta and the mozzarella and mix well. Add the breadcrumbs, parsley and garlic. Mix well until completely combined and refrigerate until needed. To make the patties, combine the beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, Worcestershire Sauce and parmigiano reggiano in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. Divide one of the portions in half and make in to two flat patties. Take about a tablespoon of the Lasagna Cheese Mix and put half of the mix on each patty. Lightly press the cheese into the patty with back of a spoon. Spoon about a half of a tablespoon of the Italian Salsa into the middle of one of the patties. Put the patties together to form a pocket of cheese and tomato in the middle of the burger and pinch the edges together and form in to one patty. Make sure there are no holes in the sides of the patty. Repeat for the rest of the 5 portions of meat. Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and grill until browned on the bottoms, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn the patties and continue grilling until done to preference, about 5 to 7 minutes longer for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, put about a tablespoon of the Lasagna Cheese Mix on top of each burger and press down on the cheese with back of spoon. Then put a mozzarella slice on top of mixture. Continue to cook until melted. Spray or rub each piece of Ciabatta bread with olive oil. Rub garlic on each piece of bread. To assemble the burgers, place burger on bread. Spoon about a tablespoon of the Italian Salsa on top of burger and let some of the salsa sit on the edge of the bread. Place other half the bread of top of the burger and press firmly down to allow some of the cheese to ooze out of the burger. Serve and ENJOY!!! Makes 6 burgers