*Photo Updated April 2012*

Inspiration: It’s been gorgeous here lately, and that’s been making me a very happy girl. 85 and sunny every day! When that kind of weather hits, I just love having fresh and summery foods. Something about sitting down to a nice summery supper when the weather is sunny and beautiful just brightens my mood even more.

What we Loved: I’ve found one of my all-time favorite burgers. I absolutely loved everything about this burger, from the ridiculously juicy lamb to the fresh pile of pesto on top to all of the wonderful flavors mixed into the burger itself. One of the good things about lamb for making burgers is that it’s very fatty, so these burgers were so tender and juicy. Plus, the prosciutto wrapped around the burgers helped to keep some of the juice in, and the eggs/cream mixed into the burgers really helped with the tenderness, too. The other add-ins to the burger – namely Parmesan and sundried tomatoes – added a great kick of rich and cheesy flavor. I’d really liken this to an Italian meatloaf, both in texture and flavor. With the dollop of pesto on top, it really was over-the-edge delicious!

Helpful Hints: I recently learned from Bobby Flay to form your burgers thinner on the inside than around the edges, which will prevent them from bloating up in the middle and forming a too-round burger while they cook. I made a nice depression in the center of these burgers before cooking, and it really did work perfectly and resulted in burgers that were nice and flat.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Lamb Burgers
Source: Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1/4 cup almond meal
1 small egg
1 tablespoon cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/8 – 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 lb ground lamb
2-4 slices prosciutto (enough to wrap the burgers)
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pesto
Other desired toppings

1. Combine the almond meal, egg, cream, Parmesan, sundried tomatoes, and a big pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine. Add the lamb, and mix to incorporate.

2. Place the slices of prosciutto on a cutting board. My prosciutto slices were thin and narrow, so I used four pieces total. For each burger, I placed one piece vertically on the cutting board and then one piece horizontally on top to form a cross.

3. Place the burger on top of the prosciutto, and fold the prosciutto up and around the burger so that the bottom is covered and the prosciutto clings to the sides or top.

4. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saute pan. Place the burgers in the pan prosciutto-side down, and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes. Flip, and cook for 6-8 minutes more.

5. Top the burgers with a dollop of pesto and any other desired toppings.