Italian Stuffed 'Burgers'

I had to give these a try.  Since making my Schmidt Bierock's which we love, I thought maybe an 'Italian flavored' filling would work too - think of it - like a small, round calzone.  These did turn out great!  It's the same procedure for Bierock's just, a different filling.  ~Enjoy! Diane 

Italian Stuffed Burgers 

Ingredients: 
Filling:
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 lb mild Italian sausage, ground 
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp oregano
pinch of sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 small can tomato paste 
shredded mozzarella 

Herbed Butter, melted *for brushing rolls after baking:
​8 ozs unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp fresh parsley (chopped)
2 tsp fresh oregano (chopped) 
1 tsp fresh basil (chopped)
1 garlic cloves (finely minced)
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper 
(mix all together and keep warm for brushing onto rolls) 

Dough: 
36 frozen dinner rolls
(I use Rhodes Dinner rolls) 

Directions:
((Start by having your dough defrosting)) the rolls take 3-5 hours to defrost. I make my filling one hour prior to dough being ready. I spray a cookie-sheet with non-stick spray and layout my frozen rolls, then spray cling wrap too and lay over the tops of the buns so they don't dry out and harden. (((your packaging should also explain this))

**When making the filling - it should be fully cooked and cooled before filling dough and baking***

Place olive oil in a large pot, add in diced onion - sweat onions for approx 5 mins, add in ground beef & ground sausage and cook until well browned (approx 15 minutes.) Drain off any fat. 
Add the garlic, and a pinch of salt, fennel, oregano and pepper. Mix well into meat mixture/filling, and add in tomato paste, set to low, simmer 5 minutes. 
Taste for any final seasonings (usually a little more salt & pepper) and set pot aside for mixture to cool down while dough finishes rising/defrosting.

Preheat oven to 365.

To fill dough, take one roll in hand, and spread out edges using your fingers (think of swirling pizza dough) lay the circle over your hand and place 1/4 cup of mix/filling into center of dough.  Draw two opposite ends towards each other and pinch together (should look like a little taco) then pull up the remaining two open ends towards the center to create a ball and pinch all the dough seems together, lay upside down on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.   These do expand while baking so, give them some space to grow on the cookie sheet.  

Bake for 20 minutes at 365 *or until golden brown.  Remove from oven, brush with melted Italian Herbed melted butter and serve warm.  These are easily reheated from freezer as well!! 

Recipe & Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home