Author: letizia.tasselli@helter.it

Craving a great burger? At Felice, Chef Iacopo Falai elevates this barbecue staple to a decadent variety of a Tuscan burger. Here, he shares his recipe on how to achieve l’Hamburger perfection at home with step-by-step instructions from seasoning your patties, to layering flavors, and the ideal cooking time.

To Make the Burger:
Heat the grill to high heat.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, salt and pepper and mix just until combined. Divide evenly into 2 patties and set aside.
In a small pan, combine the onions, sugar, water and red wine vinegar and sauté over low heat until the onions are caramelized. Set aside to cool.
Grill the burgers for ~ 5 minutes per side or until they reach a desired temperature. Lightly toast the buns on the grill.
To assemble the burger, layer the lettuce, tomato and burger patty on a bun. Top with taleggio cheese, caramelized onions and bacon and serve immediately with fries.

To Make the Fries:
In a heavy bottom sauce pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat (oil should reach 350ºf).
Soak the cut potatoes in ice water for ~10 minutes to remove some of the starches.
Drain the potatoes and dry completely before frying.
Fry the potatoes for ~6 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crispy.
Remove from the oil and immediately season with salt to taste.

Wash & dry produce. Finely chop carrots, onion and celery into ¼ inch pieces. Finely chop rosemary and thyme.

In a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion to the pot, stirring occasionally for 14-15 minutes until softened. Remove from pan, set aside in warm area.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and heat. Add the ground veal and stir occasionally until browned and cooked through, 15 minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes until the wine evaporates and the smell of alcohol has dissipated. Add the cooked vegetable broth, and herbs to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir occasionally until lightly boiling, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 3 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving. In a large pot, bring 12 quarts of water to a boil & add 1½ tbsp of salt. Once boiling, add the tagliatelle and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes.

Strain pasta and return to the pot, stirring in the sauce until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Add cold butter and stir. Plate in pasta dishes, top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.