Hot Dago Sandwich
Hot Dago is a fancy, gourmet hamburger with a moist patty and velvety freshly-made marinara sauce. Mozzarella cheese adds a touch of freshness, while toasted bread gives the crunch. The best thing is you can assemble a hot dago sandwich in any kind of bread you like!
Equipment
- 1 grill pan
- 1 Non-Stick Skillet
Ingredients
Patty
- 18 oz ground beef
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
- 2 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Marinara Sauce
- 14 oz whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp basil
- 1 tsp parsley
For Assembling
- 4 buns (Kaiser)
- 4 tsp butter
- 8 slices mozzarella
Instructions
Preparing the Patties
- Start with rehydrating breadcrumbs. Pour water over breadcrumbs (just enough to cover them) and let them sit for a few minutes to absorb everything. It will look like a paste.
- In a bowl combine ground beef and spices: salt, black pepper, parsley, oregano, onion salt, granulated garlic, and cayenne pepper. Add rehydrated breadcrumbs, and combine everything finely.
- Take a grill pan, spray it with some cooking oil, and bring to medium heat. While the pan is heating up, shape the patties.
- Toss them on the pan and grill them for about 5 minutes per side, depending on how thick they are.
Making Marinara Sauce
- Pour some olive oil into the skillet and add canned San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes.
- Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and add sea salt, red pepper flakes, and granulated garlic. Let the sauce reduce completely, so it’s more paste consistency.
- Close to the end, add the herbs: oregano, basil, and parsley. Let it simmer a bit more. It will take around 15 minutes altogether.
Assembling the Hot Dago
- First, toast the bread of your choice to add crunch and texture. Coat both halves of Kaiser buns with butter and brown them on the non-stick pan. Arrange mozzarella cheese on the bottom slice and let it melt a bit.
- Place the patty on top, and cover it with marinara sauce generously. Cover the dago with the other half of bread, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Storing Tips
Keep the patties and marinara sauce in the fridge for 3 days and in the freezer for 3 months. Store them in airtight containers with parchement paper inbetween.
Serving Tips
Serve hot dago with:
- caramelized onions
- potato chips
- french fries
- grilled corn on the cob
- coleslaw
- zucchini fries
- beans
- grilled vegetables
- pepperoncini