(for 4 people)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE

  • 200 g dried Amìo cannellini beans
  • ½ onion
  • 1 egg
  • 3 slices of sandwich bread (white or whole wheat)
  • Parsley
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds
  • Breadcrumbs to taste
  • 4 whole wheat burger buns
  • Salad
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 4 slices of grilled eggplant
  • Balsamic vinegar to taste
  • Mayonnaise
  • 2 daikons
  • Black sesame seeds to taste

    PROCEDURE

    1. The night before preparation, soak the cannellini beans in cold water for 12 hours. Then rinse them under running water and place them in a pot with about half a liter of water for every 100 g of beans. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 50–55 minutes. Add one teaspoon of coarse salt only at the end of cooking to make them softer.
    2. Place the cooked cannellini beans, 1 egg, three slices of sandwich bread, half an onion, a drizzle of oil, salt, pepper, and parsley to taste in a food processor. Blend everything until the mixture is firm enough to shape into burgers. Add the flaxseeds and mix with a spoon. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
    3. ​Meanwhile, peel the daikon and slice it into rounds, then cut the rounds into thick matchsticks.
    4. Arrange the daikon matchsticks on a baking tray with 3 tablespoons of oil and bake at 190°C (375°F), turning occasionally until golden brown.
    5. Take the cannellini mixture out of the fridge, form 4 burger patties, and coat them in breadcrumbs. Then cook them in a pan with a drizzle of oil for 5 minutes on each side.
    6. While the burgers are cooking, slice the eggplant and grill it on both sides. Then season it with oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar, and set it aside. Slice the tomato and the cucumber (after peeling it) as well.
    7. Now that all the components are ready, it’s time to assemble the burgers: lightly toast the halved burger buns, then layer on a lettuce leaf, the cannellini burger, a slice of grilled eggplant, a slice of tomato, cucumber to taste, and mayonnaise.
    8. Remove the daikon fries from the oven, season with salt, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
    9. Serve the vegetarian burger alongside the daikon fries.

    Pulses in general are very well suited for this type of preparation, chickpeas or lentils, for example, are just as perfect for making truly delicious burgers.

    To give this recipe an extra kick, swap the mayonnaise for mustard!

    Get creative with the accompanying vegetables, whether raw and crunchy or grilled and flavorful, they’ll elevate this sandwich even more!