Pancetta and Swiss Cheese-Stuffed Burgers with Pesto Mayonnaise

By nanarose

Jill Simmons, Suisun City, California, Cooking Light

JULY 2009

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 ounce pancetta, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 slices)
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 pound ground round
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese (such as Sargento)
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon commercial pesto
• 4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat hamburger buns

Preparation

Step 1

1. Prepare grill or broiler.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add the pancetta to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove pancetta from pan, reserving drippings in pan; set pancetta aside. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Combine onion mixture, pepper, salt, seasoning, and beef in a bowl. Shape beef mixture into 8 (1/4-inch-thick) patties. Top each of 4 patties with pancetta and 2 tablespoons Swiss cheese, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge. Top with remaining 4 patties; pinch edges to seal.

3. Place patties on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes. Turn and cook 5 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in center measures 160°. Combine mayonnaise and pesto. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on bottom half of each bun. Top each serving with 1 patty and top half of the hamburger bun.