- 8 plum tomatoes, sliced lengthwise into thirds
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
- A couple of pinches of sugar
- Four 1/8-inch-thick slices pancetta, chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
- 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley (a generous handful), finely chopped
- 4 crusty Kaiser rolls, split
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 4 leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
On a baking sheet, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer and drizzle with EVOO; season with salt, pepper and the sugar. Roast for 30 minutes.
While the tomatoes are roasting, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the pancetta and onion over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool; wipe out the skillet and reserve. Add the beef, garlic and parsley to the pancetta mixture; season with salt and pepper. Form into four 3 1/2-inch-wide patties. When the tomatoes come out of the oven, pre-heat the broiler, arrange the split rolls cut-side up on a baking sheet and toast.
Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, one turn of the pan, in the reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef patties and cook until browned and crisp on the bottoms, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes more for medium-rare doneness.
In a small bowl, microwave the butter until melted, about 20 seconds. Brush the butter on the toasted rolls and top with the cheese. Broil for 1 minute.
Top each roll bottom with lettuce, a beef patty, tomatoes and a roll top.