Piedmontese Hamburgers

I can guide you in preparing a delicious Piedmontese-style hamburger, inspired by the flavors and ingredients typical of that Italian region. Piedmont is known, for instance, for its production of high-quality meats, truffles, and wines such as Barolo and Barbera. Here’s how you could create a hamburger that reflects this culinary heritage:

Ingredients

• 400 g of Piedmontese Fassona minced beef (or other high-quality beef)
• 4 hamburger buns, preferably artisanal
• 1 small fresh truffle to slice thinly (or truffle paste, optionally)
• 80 g of Piedmontese toma cheese or another local soft cheese
• A few lettuce leaves
• 1 red onion
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Butter (for toasting the buns)

Preparation

1. Divide the minced meat into four equal parts and shape into hamburgers.
2. Heat a pan or grill. When it’s hot enough, cook the hamburgers for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on the desired degree of doneness. Season with salt and pepper during cooking.
3. Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and sauté it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan until it becomes soft and slightly caramelized.
4. Cut the cheese into slices and place it on the hamburgers at the end of cooking to let it melt slightly with the residual heat.
5. Cut the buns in half and toast them lightly in a pan with a bit of butter until they turn golden.
6. Assemble the hamburgers by placing lettuce, caramelized onion, the hamburger with melted cheese, and a few slices of truffle (or a teaspoon of truffle paste if fresh truffle is not available) on the base of the bun.
7. Cover with the other half of the bun and serve immediately.

Trivia

The Piedmontese hamburger combines the excellence of the Fassona beef breed, typical of the region and renowned for its tenderness and low fat content, with the refined taste of the truffle, one of the symbolic products of Piedmont, especially in the areas of Alba and Asti. Pairing these ingredients is a celebration of Piedmontese cuisine in street food fashion.

For a perfect pairing, you might serve your Piedmontese hamburger with a glass of robust local red wine, such as a Nebbiolo or a Barbera d’Alba to stay on theme with the origin of the ingredients.