Chickpea Feta Cheese Burger
More and more of my loved ones are becoming vegetarian. Let's face it, if there is a BBQ, no matter what country you are in, there is meat galore! I wanted to ensure all my guests had something to choose from so I came up with this option for my non carnivore friends. This is so delicious that it has become a favorite at my house all year around.
*** You can make the patties ahead of time and freeze them. It is the perfect substitute for a lazy dinner and so much healthier than a beef burger!
*the bun in this picture is for the uber-healthy bread geek and is a multi grain bun that doesn't look pretty but tastes great. You know us Germans, we love our healthy bread.
This is what you need:
1 can of chickpeas
1/2 med size onion
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cup feta cheese
2 eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garlic to taste
dash of cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon Cumin
Your favorite oil for frying
Burger buns or pita bread, whatever you prefer!
This is how you do it:
Drain your chickpeas
Chop your onions as fine as you can
Crumble the feta cheese
In a bowl, scramble the eggs (do not cook, just scramble)
Add the feta cheese and the breadcrumbs to the bowl
In a separate bowl mash the chickpeas with a fork ** Do not use a blender, the consistency is too fine and your burgers will not have enough "bite"
Let the mixture sit for a good 15 minutes, then mix again
Form patties ** I like to poke a hole in the middle to ensure they will be cooked through
Place in a pan with oil and bake from both sides at moderate heat
Grilling on a BBQ grill is possible too but I like to put down a piece of aluminum foil that is greased. **This keeps it from cooking too hot and burning or not cooking through.
Serve on a bun, just as the patty or with salad
***If you want to make a whole bunch ahead of time, you can form the patties and freeze them individually for easy dinners, snacks or lunches. Defrost, then fry, BBQ or thoroughly heat in the microwave before consuming. Please remember that it has a raw egg in it so it must be cooked prior to eating but you don't have to cook before freezing.
