Recipe Author:Tony Chavez

The hot dago is somewhat of an obscure and almost controversial Burger seeping its way out of the bars and pubs of St. Paul, MN. A transplant to the area during my college years, the Dago became an instantaneous “must-have” combining two of my loves to make a gnarly, messy, delectable burger; ground beef and sausage. The patty is a mix of Italian sausage, ground beef, egg, bread crumb, herbs, spices and seasoning to create something that is neither a hamburger, a sausage nor a meatball; but is most definitively a Dago. The patty is typically smothered in marinara sauce then covered in mozzarella cheese before being broiled to a toasty finish.

Servings:8

Serving Size:6 oz. patties

Calories:265

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Northstar Bison Ground Bison or Ground Beef
• 12 oz. Bison Italian Breakfast Sausage or Pork Sausage
• 1 tsp. Crushed Red Chili Flakes
• 1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp. Dried Basil
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 2 Whole eggs
• As needed Salt & Pepper
• 8-12 oz. Your favorite Marinara Sauce
• 8 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix thoroughly making sure that the blend comes together smoothly without lumps of cheese or breadcrumb anywhere to be found. Allow the mix to sit in a fridge for at least an hour before use. Portion your patties. Preheat a skillet to a medium heat then add enough cooking oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Season your patties with salt and pepper then begin to arrange them in the warm skillet. Cook the patties until they obtain a good sear on the one side then flip each burger and repeat. When the patties have decent color, lightly cover them with your favorite Marinara Sauce and put in the oven for ten minutes. After ten minutes pull the pan of patties from the oven and top with shredded Mozzarella. Switch your oven to the Broiler and set it to high. Bake the patties until the cheese is melted and browned on top.

Closing Thoughts:

Pick your bun of choice and serve the patties piping hot. Delectable, hearty, robust, and all too simple.

Side dish is Fresh sunflower sprouted greens from Dragsmith Farms, our local organic producer of a wide variety of wonderful salad greens. Gail Smith, owner donated these for our enjoyment and Tony included them in this beautiful sandwich plate combination.