La Bella Burger

Mix ground turkey, sweet Italian turkey sausage, egg, fresh garlic, dry oregano, 1 tablespoon fresh basil, dry thyme, and fresh rosemary thoroughly. Then add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Form 8 thin patties from the meat mixture. Cut the fresh mozzarella into 1/4 inch pieces. Place 4-5 mozzarella pieces in the center of one patty, leaving space between them and away from the edges. Place another patty on top and seal the edges to enclose the cheese.

Cut off the top of the red bell pepper, remove the seeds and core. Slice the pepper into 1/4 inch rings and brush lightly with olive oil.

For the pesto sauce: In a dry frying pan, quickly toast the pine nuts for less than 3 minutes. In a food processor, pulse the remaining fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper, simultaneously adding 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil through the feed tube. Once a good puree is achieved, add the mayonnaise and pulse 2-3 more times, scraping the sides to ensure it's thoroughly mixed. Avoid over-processing; the mixture should have some texture.

Coat the grill with non-stick spray. Cook the burgers over low to medium heat for about 8-10 minutes on each side. If you prefer to be safe, cook for up to 12 minutes per side, but be careful not to overcook and dry out the burger. Avoid flipping the burgers too often. Mozzarella oozing out indicates the burger is nearly done.

Place the red pepper rings on the upper or outer edges of the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Brush olive oil on the insides of the sourdough bun halves and place them on the upper or outer edges of the grill. Remove the buns when lightly toasted.

Spread pesto sauce on both the top and bottom sourdough bun halves. Place spinach leaves on the bottom bun, then top with a burger patty. Garnish with a grilled red bell pepper ring. Fold the bun halves together to complete your La Bella Burger.