This is the recipe we pull out on evenings when the schedule is overflowing and cooking something elaborate is simply not an option. End of term, Wednesday evenings after the kids’ gym, lazy Sundays — these pizza burgers on English muffins are made for those moments. A grandmother’s idea, improved over the years, and something we make without a second thought.
Ingredients :
- Ground turkey (or chicken, or Italian turkey sausage) — Ground turkey is more neutral than beef and absorbs spices better — it becomes what you ask it to be. If you opt for Italian turkey sausage, reduce salt and spices by half as it is already seasoned. Avoid too lean a grind (less than 7% fat) which becomes dry and grainy once mixed with the sauce.
- Quality marinara — The tomato sauce is the element that makes the difference between an ordinary result and something truly good. An overly sweet commercial marinara overwhelms the other flavors. Choose a version with few ingredients, made from whole peeled tomatoes, no added sugar — it should smell of tomato and basil, not ketchup.
- English muffins — Their nooks-and-crannies texture is made to hold the sauce without breaking down during cooking, unlike a regular slice of bread which would soak and soften. Toast them cut-side up before topping: it creates a slight crust that prevents the sauce from soaking the base during cooking.
- Shredded mozzarella — It appears in two places: in the meat filling, where it binds the sauce and adds creaminess, and on top, where it melts into an even blanket. Shred it yourself if possible — pre-shredded contains anti-caking starch that slows melting and gives a less glossy finish.
