Do you have a favorite burger?
For me it’s very important that every ingredient of the burger is fresh and quality.
What I present to you today is the Mortadella Bologna Burger.
100% Bolognese taste and 100% original Tortellini&CO recipe.
Mortadella Bologna Burger
Spicy but not too much. Soft and tasty.
Mortadella Burger is a burger that smells of lemon and nutmeg.
But above all it is prepared with a lot of PGI mortadella, one of the iconic products of Bologna, my beloved city, and of all Italy… because everyone likes it!
Years ago, it was 2015, from my passion for hamburgers and mortadella, the idea of a burger that spoke Bolognese was born.
To create an original recipe for mortadella burgers I started with what I usually do to give flavor to meatballs and fillings, that is, add finely chopped mortadella to the mince.
I started rehearsing to find the right balance of flavors.
Burger after burger, I continued to add mortadella to the total amount of ground until I found the right percentage.
I tried both loin and veal and, in the end, I preferred a more delicate meat like veal that “marries” Bologna with kindness. The sausage is not the right one, it makes everything too fat and covers the other flavors. Yes, because in this hamburger, bologna is not a bit added to the mince. It is a very generous amount and this makes the Mortadella Burger unique and special.
Developing the recipe.
I was supported by the “mustache” of Agnoletto&Bignami, butcher’s shop with delicatessen located in the Quadrilatero, one of the places where I go most often to do my food shopping. When I was over two ounces of mortadella on 500g of ground, the mustache almost rebelled. At 3 ounces, he said no. At least, he tried. Said it wouldn’t work well and that it was unbalanced. Bt, after all, I was right.
Since the first time I did it, after having perfected the final recipe, I have cooked the Mortadella Burger many times. Recently, I took the recipe in my hands and added some details. The scent of the lemon zest, which with mortadella looks great. I added nutmeg and more ricotta.Finally, during cooking I used lemon juice, no oil or wine to blend in.
That’s why I decided to put this post back on the home page: it is now an almost completely new recipe. I also added the procedure for making caramelized onions and the recipe for hamburger buns. And new photos.
This burger is the top for a burger night, brunch and even a barbecue.
So many opportunities to make a good impression.
A burger with a Bolognese accent
The burger that speaks Bolognese, the one with true Mortadella Bologna PGI, is a heart stealer. I like to serve it as a burger, between two slices of bread.
For the recipe for soft burger buns, scroll down the post. The bread rises well and remains soft, even the next day and even after freezing and thawing it (I did the test).
Of course a good burger must be accompanied by sauces, cheese, vegetables.
For the sauces, I used mayonnaise and barbecue. The cheese must be of the melting type, I think a good mountain cheese, thinly sliced, will do. Finally the vegetables: fresh lettuce, onion, raw or caramelized, fresh tomato but also finely chopped red cabbage.
The red cabbage option works great with Mortadella Burger also for that crunch effect that should not be missing. While I’m not a fan of the tomato slice in the burger (and in sandwiches in general). the flavor disappears among the others and wets the bread. My favorite additions include red onion: raw and/or caramelized. In the process I explain how to make the caramelized one.
Of course you can also serve it “as a steak”, without bread and sauces, accompanied by a salad or a side dish in season.
Buona cucina, Monica
Food Tips
Do not exceed with mortadella: for a balanced hamburger I suggest you to use 250g, maximum 300g, of mortadella on 500g of ground meat. Over 300g -on 500g- the burger is too tasty and crumbles during cooking.
Mortadella PGI is a gluten-free product.
For mini burgers, make each one with only 50 g of ground meat.
Mortadella Bologna Burger with caramelized onion
5 bologna burger, about 100 g per burger
Ingredients
Mortadella and caramelized onion burger
250g minced calf
250g ground bologna
100g ricotta
1g of salt
nutmeg and organic lemon peel, as desired
juice of one or two lemons
1 red onion
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
butter 30g
salt, a pinch
Directions
Make a fine mince of veal and mortadella.
In a bowl mix minced, ricotta cheese, salt, nutmeg and lemon zest.
Divide the mixture into 5, so that the hamburgers have the same weight.
Form 5 Mortadella Burger using the special tool or a simple ring mold.
Let them rest in the fridge for 30 minutes (even if you want to freeze them).
I usually use baking paper, which I cut out myself, to wrap the hamburgers (see photo). And if I put them in the freezer, in addition to the paper, I put the meat in an airtight box.
Caramelized Red Onion
While Bologna Burgers rest, prepare the caramelized onion.
Finely chop the onion after removing the outer part. Cook in a pan over medium-low heat with sugar, sauce, salt and butter over high heat until caramelized.
In a non-stick pan already hot, cook the burgers fading with lemon juice that eliminates the fatty part and gives an incredible fragrance to the already tasty, spicy and fragrant Mortadella Burger. Cook the burgers at least 4 minutes per side (then it depends on how you like cooking).
And now make YOUR bologna burger with the ingredients you prefer among tomato, lettuce, raw red onion, gherkins, red cabbage julienne cut and seasoned.
Don’t forget cheese and sauces.
To warm or melt the cheese well, put the sandwiches in the already hot oven for a couple of minutes.
After the photos, you’ll find the recipe for hamburger buns.
