Pizza Burgers

We adore pizza and Italian flavors so it was just logical that I would work that into a burger.

Ingredients:

Burger part:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef 80/20

1/2 pound bulk Italian sweet sausage

1 1/3 cup bottled mushroom pasta sauce, divided

6 ounces mozzarella cheese in slices, each about 1 ounce

1/2 teaspoon each oregano, sweet basil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, fennel seeds.

Egg plant part:

6 slices eggplant

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

2 tablespoons grated asagio cheese

Bread:

6 crusty cibatta rolls

Cheese:

6 slices provolone cheese,each about 1 ounce

Toppers:

6 grilled eggplant slices

6 slices raw onion

12 very thinly sliced in rings, green bell peppers

12 red leaf lettuce leaves

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine all the burger ingredients using 1/3 cup of the pasta sauce, being carefull not to over compact the meat.

Form into 12 thin patties.

Fold each mozzarella slice into a square and put in the middle of 6 burger patties.

Put the remaining 6 patties over the cheese patties, and seal all around the edges.

Next fix the eggplant. Peel and slice the eggplant into 6 slices 1/4 inch thick.

In a bowl combine the olive oil, garlic powder, parsley and asagio.

Brush both sides of the eggplant and grill on med high until nicely grilled on both sides, set aside.

Grill burgers to you liking.

Split the rolls in half lengthwise

The last 5 minutes of cooking, toast the cut side of the rolls, and top each burger with one slice of provolone cheese, close grill to melt.

Put one burger on a roll, and top with 1 slices grilled eggplant, slice of onion, desired amount of pasta sauce, and, 2 slices pepper, lettuce leaves.