The Balkan Burger, or Pljeskavica, is a delicious burger that combines the flavours of lamb and beef with roasted red peppers, eggplant, and a spicy red pepper sauce. The burger is served on a toasted bun with a creamy cheese spread and sliced white onions.
Category
Lunch
Servings
6
Prep time
1 hour
Cook time
45 minutes
The Balkan Burger, or Pljeskavica, is a delicious burger that combines the flavours of lamb and beef with roasted red peppers, eggplant, and a spicy red pepper sauce. The burger is served on a toasted bun with a creamy cheese spread and sliced white onions.
Ingredients
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) lamb mince
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) 80/20 beef mince
- 1 brown onion, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 100ml (3½ fl oz) soda water
- 3 red capsicums (bell peppers)
- 1 eggplant (Aubergine**)**
- 1 red chilli
- 20ml (4 tsp) olive oil
- 20ml (4 tsp) white vinegar
- 100g (3½ oz) feta cheese
- 250ml (9 fl oz) sour cream
- 125 g (4½ oz) cream cheese
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 6 white bap rolls
Directions
To make the burger patties, mix together the lamb mince, beef mince, grated onion, minced garlic, paprika, baking powder, 2 tablespoons of salt, black pepper, and soda water. Mix with your hands for 5-6 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour. After chilling, form the mixture into six equal patties, roughly 165g each (about the size of a teacup saucer).
- To make the Ajvar (red pepper sauce), drizzle the capsicums, eggplant, and red chilli with olive oil, and roast them in a 200°C (390°F) oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover with a lid to steam for another 15 minutes.
- Peel the skins from the vegetables and remove the seeds from the capsicums. Place the vegetables in a blender with a pinch of salt, the remaining olive oil, and the white vinegar. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- To make the Kajmak (soft cheese spread), mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, and feta until smooth.
- When ready to cook, pan-fry the burger patties for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Toast the bap rolls in the same pan.
- To assemble the burger, spread some Ajvar on the bottom bun and Kajmak on the top bun. Place the cooked burger patty on the bottom bun, top with sliced white onions, and close with the top bun.
