Pizza Burgers

• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or vegan parmesan
• 2 tsp italian seasonings (or 1 tsp dried basil & 1 tsp dried oregano)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tbs marinara sauce (homemade or Rao’s) + more for topping
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Serve on / with:

• 4 ciabatta buns or pizza rolls, toasted
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• fresh parsley, chopped
• red onion

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and saute shallots and garlic in 1 tbs olive oil for approximately 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the cooked garlic and shallots to a medium bowl.
3. Place the chickpeas in a small food processor and mix until only a few whole beans are left. Transfer to the medium bowl.
4. Add in 2 tbs olive oil, parmesan, italian seasonings, parsley, bread crumbs, marinara, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and form a “dough”.  If it’s too dry, add a little more oil.  If it’s too wet, add more bread crumbs.
5. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
6. Make 4 1″ thick patties.
7. Coat the burgers with additional bread crumbs and parmesan for more flavor and texture (if desired).
8. Heat a panini maker or large skillet over medium heat.
9. Spray the burgers with olive oil or add 1 tbs oil to the skillet. Brown the patties for 5 minutes on each side.  Reduce the heat if the burgers brown too much.
10. Optional step: Place the burgers on a baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for an additional 10-20 minutes to dry and crisp them more.
11. Warm 1 cup of marinara sauce, toast the bread, and prep the parsley and onion.
12. To serve, place parsley on the bottom half of a bun, top with a burger, onion, marinara sauce, and additional parmesan.