Pizza smash burger recipe with crispy pepperoni, balsamic mayo and garlic butter buns
For an Italian spin on this pizza-themed burger, let us introduce you to scamorza – a smoked mozzarella cheese with a wonderful smokey flavour. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back.
Burgers are not the first thing I’ll go for on a menu. A smash burger? Maybe. A pizza smash burger with crispy pepperoni in a garlic butter bun? Sign me up!
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Yields:
4
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Cal/Serv:
707
Ingredients
500 g pack 12% beef mince
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Italian mixed herbs
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
45 g pepperoni
50 g salted butter
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 ciabatta rolls, sliced
150 g smoked mozzarella (scamorza), thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. tomato chutney
Directions
Step 1Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put mince in a large bowl and season well. Add 2tbsp balsamic vinegar and the mixed herbs, then mix with clean hands until well combined. Divide the mix into 8 patties and set aside. Meanwhile, mix the remaining balsamic with the mayonnaise.
Step 2Place the pepperoni in a non-stick frying pan and turn the heat on low. Cook for 4-5min, increasing the heat slightly halfway, until the fat has started to render and the pepperoni turns crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper to drain.
Step 3Add the butter, oregano and garlic to the pepperoni pan and melt over a medium heat. Set the buns on a baking tray, bottoms cut-side up and tops cut-side down, and brush with the butter. Bake for 10min, until golden brown.
Step 4Meanwhile, put the pepperoni pan over a medium-high heat and add the patties (you may need to do this in batches). Use a burger press or spatula to smash the patties down to about ½cm thick. Cook for 2min, then flip and cook for 1-2min, until the burgers have a golden, juicy crust.
Step 5Leaving 4 (or 2 depending on the size of your pan) of the patties in the pan, top with some scamorza before sandwiching with another pattie and another layer of cheese. Add a splash of water, cover with a lid and cook for 1-2min, until the cheese has melted. Repeat with the remaining burgers.
Step 6Spread some balsamic mayo on to each bun base and add the rocket, burgers, a dollop of tomato chutney and the crispy pepperoni. Top with bun lids and serve.
GH TIP
The crispy pepperoni is great sprinkled through salads and pasta dishes too!
Per serving:
Calories: 707
Protein: 42g
Fat: 44g
Saturates: 20g
Carbs: 34g
Sugars: 12g
Fibre: 4g
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Linzi joins the Good Housekeeping team as Kitchen Manager, looking after the brand-new, state-of-the art test and demo kitchens based in the heart of Leicester Square. With over a decade of experience producing food content for leading brands, she’s won awards for her recipes, battled Christmas dinners in July, and spent a lot of time pondering the next big food trend (no more pistachio, please!) Originally from the North East of Scotland, she lives in West London with her Italian husband and twin daughters, feeding them a variety of haggis and ragu - depending on the mood!
