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Turkey Burgers
© Danielle Tsi

Turkey Burgers

Contributed by Quick From Scratch Chicken
  • ACTIVE: 10 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • •FAST

The focaccia adds to the Italian flavor of these juicy burgers. However, bread selections are endless—toasted country bread, onion rolls, or whatever you like.

  1. 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  2. 1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced
  3. 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  4. 3 tablespoons pesto, store-bought or homemade
  5. 1 10-inch round or 8-by-10-inch rectangle of focaccia
  6. 1/2 pound tomatoes, sliced
  7. 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
  8. 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
  9. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  10. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  11. 2 scallions including green tops, chopped
  12. Salt
  13. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  14. 2 tablespoons milk
  15. 1 egg, beaten to mix
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, scallions, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper, milk, and egg. Form the mixture into four patties, each about 1-inch thick.
  2. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the turkey burgers and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and then top each burger with the provolone cheese. Cook until just done, about 6 minutes longer.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and the pesto. Cut the focaccia into quarters. Cut each piece in half horizontally. Spread the cut surfaces of each piece with the pesto mayonnaise.
  4. Top the bottoms of the focaccia with the turkey burgers and then the tomato slices. Sprinkle the tomato with a pinch of salt. Cover with the top piece of focaccia.
Serve With Burgers go best with other finger food—oven-roasted potato wedges and raw carrot or fennel sticks, for example.

Suggested Pairing

This meaty sandwich should be paired with a fresh, full-flavored red, perhaps one made from the versatile, food-friendly Barbera grape. Several are imported from Italy's Piedmont region.