Val d’Aosta cheeseburger

A diversion from the USA to Val d’Aosta thanks to using Fontina PDO instead of Cheddar cheese. We pair this with a chilled Barbera d’Asti La Lippa 2021 La Gironda.

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 hamburger buns, 4 large hamburgers, 250g Fontina PDO cheese, 3 vine tomatoes, 8 Romaine lettuce leaves, honey mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Directions:

Rinse, dry and slice the tomatoes. Rinse and dry the lettuce then cut it into strips. Cut the bun sideways.

Heat an oven to 160°C and then line a pan with parchment paper, Remove the rind from the Fontina and cut it into 8 slices of about 25g each, place them in the pan and bake while the meat is cooking.

Heat 4 tablespoons of EVOO in a broad, non-stick pan and cook the hamburgers for 4 minutes, 2 minutes per side. Place the hamburgers on some parchment paper.

Use the same pan to toast the undersides of the buns for about 30-40 seconds.

Spread some honey mustard on the undersides of each bun. On the bottom of each bun place 2 slices of tomato, some lettuce, a slice of Fontina, a hamburger and then on top another slice of Fontina, tomatoes and lettuce. Close each bun, pressing down lightly, and serve immediately.

Wine to pair:

(by Stefania Vinciguerra)

Barbera d’Asti La Lippa 2021 La Gironda

Bright ruby-purple color. An explosion of red fruit on the nose, with precise floral contours enriching the bouquet, so deeply varietal. The taste is fresh and rotund, flavorful and pleasant, with a lovely fruity finish.

Production area: the hill known as Il Bricco di Nizza and the hamlet Chiesavecchia in the municipality of Calamandrana, where the old existing vineyards have been recovered and new ones have been planted.

Grape variety: 100% Barbera, cultivated with 5,000 plants per hectare on vineyards located at 260 m a.s.l. with south-southwest-east exposure, hilly lay of limestone soil tending to sandy. Average production per ha is 60 hl.

Production system: no chemical herbicides, no synthetic products, reduced consumption of environmental resources, manual management of every activity in the vineyard (from pruning to harvesting), minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar, use of light bottles and ecological corks made of sugar cane. The aging is only in stainless steel, to maintain its young and lively taste.

Serving temperature: in summer, about 10-12°C.

Suggested food pairings: Perfect with bread and salami, it pairs with all first courses, risottos, pasta and also ethnic dishes. Ideal with pizza or a barbecue with friends. For something surprising, try with fish, especially in soup.

THIS RECIPE IS OFFERED BY GIRONDA

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