Americans write books about pizza. I’m not sure how much that irritates Italians. But Italians writing a hamburger book? Oh, dear, the world turned upside down.
Please, remain calm. Do not get upset. Instead, rise, get the car keys or head to your computer because you want this book. If you love burgers, you are going to worship this one.
My favorite Italian word is “perfecto.” Why? It begins with that “purr” sound that is pure comfort. And then the “oh” and the end can short and clipped or dangle a bit or be long drawn out. If something is really excellent, then the “oh” becomes “ohhhhhhhhhhhh.” And that is the description for Artisanal Burger.
Authors Enzo De Angelis and Antonio Sorrentino apply Italian style and genius to the burger. Burger here means beef, of course, but there are options in the 50 ideas sizzling on these pages: pork, chicken, salmon, shrimp, even seitan. There’s something for everyone.
The first something in the book is how to make a good bun and we all know that, if the bun is bad, the burger is doomed. That emphasis on the bun is a good sign but there is more.
It is the next four pages I encountered that gave me such a surprise and told me how wonderful this book would be. Four pages with 18 sauces. Burgers are, sadly, considered fast food and more than half the burgers Americans eat come from fast food places. Some second-rate mustard, cheap mayo, and bland ketchup may be the only adornments dashed onto meat and bun.
These two gentlemen offer you some far better ways to put that essential lubricant on bun and meat:
- Holy Sauce with anchovy, mayo, mustard seed, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard and Mexican hot sauce, oh and cheese too
- Green Tomato Chutney
- Carrot and Cumin Mayo
- Green Pepper and Juniper Mayo
- Walnut Pesto
- Green Pepper Sauce
- Citrus Mayo
The burgers themselves come in layers of flavor. Meat, naturally, then then other things. Here are some of those “other things” you’ll need in your fridge to enjoy this book:
- Stracchino cheese
- White arugula
- Caciocavallo podolico — cheese from Campania
- Doomstone cheese — from England
- Cherries
- Roasted ham
- Carrots and fennel and spinach
- Raisins
- Speck
- Figs
- Roasted hazelnuts
- Pineapple
- Prosciutto
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Creamed eggplant
- Olive tapenade
No, all those don’t go on the same burger, but it’s sample from the book of the many adornments adding very Italian character to your burger. What’s a typical recipe look like? Here’s the ingredients list for the SkillBurger:
- 1 bun
- 1 Scottona beef patty
- 2 slices Prosciutto Crudo di Parma
- 18 months Doppia Corona
- 20 g Parmigiano Reggiano 24 months
- 1 handful freshly cut spinach
- 2 fresh meadow mushrooms
- 30 g mayonnaise
- black truffle paste butter
- extra-virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
This is far, far away from the Golden Arches. And obviously far better. The book zings with ideas like this. There’s a pork burger with cherries. And the LegendBurger uses slices of tomato, eggplant, and zucchini. See? Italian.
This book will stretch your imagination as you literally reinvent the burger. Oh, it’s going to stretch your mouth too. Those little American burgers with the thin patty? Not here. The meat is thick and there are layers and layer of cheese, other meat, and veggies. The burgers are breath taking and mouth breaking.
Most of us now can get to our grills. It’s burgers right to November. There’s just enough time to do all 50 of these delights. Where to start? I could not begin to pick a favorite here, but I’ll be making them through the summer and I’ll show you the best along the way. Of course, along with burger I’ll be consuming Italian beer or some Chianti or even, goodness, Barolo. It’s not just a mere burger, it’s burger Italian style.