Equipment
Ingredients
Ricotta Beef Patties
- 600 g ground beef, cold, 80% lean
- 150 g whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of excess moisture
- 15 g fresh basil, finely chopped
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 9 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Sun-Dried Tomato Relish
- 120 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 60 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Assembly
- 4 brioche buns
- 40 g arugula, washed and dried
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 641 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 1360 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 18 mg
- Potassium
- 1099 mg
- Calcium
- 143 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 359 mg
- Zinc
- 6.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 102 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 95 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 30 mcg
- Water
- 81 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef knife and cutting board, finely chop the drained sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and capers.
In a small bowl, mix the chopped tomatoes, red onion, capers, red wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Set the relish aside to let the flavors meld.
In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the cold ground beef, drained ricotta cheese, chopped basil, chopped parsley, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix lightly with your hands just until incorporated to avoid overworking the meat.
Form the beef and ricotta mixture into 4 equal-sized patties, making a slight indentation in the center of each to prevent them from puffing up into a dome during cooking.
Place the formed patties on a plate and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This helps the ricotta firm up and prevents the patties from falling apart in the pan.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the patties for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms and a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 71 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the burgers from the skillet and transfer them to a clean cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
While the burgers are resting, wipe out the excess grease from the cast iron skillet and lightly toast the brioche buns cut-side down in the residual heat until golden brown.
Assemble the burgers by placing a handful of fresh arugula on the bottom bun, followed by the rested beef and ricotta patty, a generous spoonful of sun-dried tomato relish, and the top bun.
Chef's Notes
- Draining the ricotta through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for 30 minutes before mixing prevents the burgers from becoming too wet and structurally unsound.
- When mixing ground meat, use a light touch. Overworking develops the myosin proteins excessively, resulting in a dense, tough patty rather than a tender one.
- The thumbprint or indentation in the center of the raw patty compensates for the protein shrinking and plumping during cooking, ensuring a flat, evenly cooked burger that holds toppings well.
- Utilize the infused oil from the sun-dried tomato jar instead of plain extra virgin olive oil in the relish for a significant boost of concentrated umami flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store raw patties and relish in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze raw patties separated by parchment paper. Relish does not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat cooked patties gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, covered, to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
Patties fall apart when flipping in the skillet
Cause: Ricotta added too much moisture, meat was overworked, or patties were not chilled before cooking
Fix: Press the cracks back together gently with a spatula and top with a slice of provolone cheese to act as a binder, or serve crumbled as a loose meat sandwich
Prevention: Thoroughly drain ricotta before mixing, handle meat gently, and always chill patties for at least 15 minutes before searing
Relish tastes too sharp or acidic
Cause: Imbalance from the red wine vinegar and capers
Fix: Stir in a pinch of sugar or a small drizzle of honey to balance the acidity
Prevention: Measure the vinegar accurately and ensure capers are fully drained of their brine
Cultural Context
While the hamburger is an iconic American staple, this variation draws heavy inspiration from Italian polpette (meatballs), which frequently use ricotta to achieve a melt-in-the-mouth texture. By applying this hydration technique to a grilled burger format and pairing it with a sweet and tart Sicilian-style caper and sun-dried tomato relish, it creates a seamless Italian-American culinary crossover.
