Mini Meatball Burgers on Antipasto Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin or ground beef, pork, and veal, combined
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (a couple handfuls)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• A handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
• Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) for drizzling, plus about 1/4 cup for dressing salad
• 2 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
• 1 can (15 ounces) quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
• 4 or 5 peperoncini peppers, chopped, or 1/4 cup hot banana pepper rings, drained
• 1/2 cup pitted good-quality olives, green or black, drained
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 1/4 pound Genoa salami or slicing pepperoni, chopped
• 1/4 pound deli-sliced provolone cheese, chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (eyeball it)
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella or fresh smoked mozzarella, diced
• 2 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cup basil leaves, torn or shredded

1. Preheat a grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high or prepare an outdoor grill.
2. Place the meat in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the egg yolk, cheese, tomato paste, parsley, garlic, and hot red pepper flakes.
4. Mix the meat and form 12 large meatballs, 2 to 2 1/2 inches each.
5. Flatten the meatballs and form patties.
6. Drizzle the patties with EVOO and add them to the hot pan or grill.
7. Cook for 3 minutes on each side.
8. Hold the cooked patties on a plate under foil.
9. On a large platter or in a salad bowl, combine the romaine with the quartered artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, hot peppers, olives, celery, salami, and provolone.
10. Toss the salad with vinegar first, about 3 tablespoons, then toss with EVOOup to 1/4 cup to your taste.
11. (Just eyeball the amounts.)
12. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.
13. Scatter the chopped mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil across the salad.
14. Arrange the cooked mini meatball burgers on top of the arranged antipasto salad.
15. When dressing an oil and vinegar salad, put the acid on first, then the oil.
16. If you add the EVOO first, the oil keeps the acid from getting to the greens.

ground sirloin, salt, egg yolk, couple, tomato paste, handful, garlic, hot red pepper, extravirgin olive oil, romaine lettuce hearts, hearts, red pepper, peperoncini peppers, olives, celery, salami, deli, red wine vinegar, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mini-meatball-burgers-on-antipasto-salad-374729 (may not work)