Little Italy Burger ft. Uncle Charley’s Sausage

I am doing something a little different today!

One of the things I had hoped to do with my blog is to feature amazing local products. Moving  to Pittsburgh helped to make that possible since we happen to have a good deal of friends who are in the food biz. I already mentioned our friends who own the farm in Somerset, PA (Laurel Vista Farms). I’ll be featuring recipes with their products in the very near future.

Today we are talking about sausage! It just so happens that we know the new President of Uncle Charley’s Sausage located in Vandergrift, PA. Uncle Charley’s (UC) has been a mainstay on the Pittsburgh sausage scene since 1988. The product is truly delicious! Every time we cook up Uncle Charley’s (which might be always) I always talk about how good the sausage taste. You don’t even need to add mustard!

The product line is full of great bites and I have yet to find something that I didn’t like. I am especially a fan of the bacon (used in the Green Bean Salad) and their bulk sausage because there are so many possibilities. You should visit their website to find out what other UC products are out there and if you want to see more UC in your store you can even complete a form letting them know you want to see the best local sausage in your store!

I was inspired to make this burger after visiting Little Italy Days in Bloomfield this past weekend. The festival was a true tribute to Italian food and culture. The hubby and I had a hard time deciding what to eat because there were so many options. Ultimately we made sure to at least have a balanced meal which means starting with an app, moving on to an entrée and then finishing with an Italian dessert. I demanded that we end with fresh Cannoli’s…my mouth is still watering thinking about it.

When putting together this Italian inspired burger I should note that the Uncle Charley’s sausage is the perfect canvas, you don’t need to season or add to the meat because it is everything you need when making an Italian dish. I just dressed up the sausage with some great toppings to create this scrumptious burger and tribute to Italy.

I gave the family the option of topping it with a sun-dried tomato pesto or a pizza sauce. I think it works either way so feel free to choose which ever topping suits your taste.

Now go prepare this burger for your Labor Day BBQ and check out Uncle Charley’s sausage, you will not be disappointed!

Little Italy Burger ft. Uncle Charley's Sausage

August 29, 2014

by hautepepper

Category Local Spotlight Recipes

Persons

7

Ingredients

• 1 Lb. Uncle Charley's Bulk Hot Sausage
• 1 Lb. Uncle Charley's Bulk Sweet Sausage
• 7 Slices Provolone Cheese
• 7 Leaves of Green Lettuce
• 1/2 Cup Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (recipe below) or 1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce
• 7 Ciabatta Buns or Kaiser Rolls
• 1 Large Onion Sliced

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

• 3 Tbsp. Sun-Dried Tomato Slices in Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Basil chopped
• 1/3 Cup Almond Slivers
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine the sweet sausage and the hot sausage. Form the sausage in to 7 patties of similar size. Place the patties on the grill and cook until done or until it registers 160 degrees. As the patties cook place your onions on the grill and cook until soft or until they start to get color. Tip: it is best to use a grill pan when cooking the onions. Once your patties are cooked top each one with a slice of provolone cheese and place in warm oven or under a broiler to allow the cheese to melt.
2. Assemble your burger by placing your lettuce on the bun followed by your patty then your sauce and finally your onions. Put it all together, take a big bite and enjoy

Instructions for Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Scrape the sides of the container and slowly add the olive oil, pulsing to incorporate. Scrape sides as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tags

Burger,

Cheese,

Italian,

Onion,

Pesto,

Tomato,

Uncle Charley's

http://www.hautepepperbites.com/2014/08/29/little-italy-burger-ft-uncle-charleys-sausage/

The thoughts and opinions reflected above are solely my own, no compensation was received as a result of this post.