Chickpea and Sacla’ Pesto Veggie Burger with Quick Salsa Rossa

Ingredients

• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 x 400g can Chickpeas, drained
• 5 tbsp Sacla’ Char-Grilled Aubergine Pesto
• 100g Breadcrumbs
• 1 large handful of fresh Basil
• 1 large handful of flat-leaf parsley, fresh
• 1 Lemon, grated zest plus 1 tbsp juice
• 1 tbsp of whisked liquid from chickpeas (aqua faba)
• 1 fresh and mild Chilli, halved lengthways
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 50g Plain flour, seasoned
• 3 tbsp Oil

For the Salsa Rossa

• 200g Cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
• A handful of roughly chopped fresh Basil
• 3 tbsp Sacla’ Antipasti Trio of Roasted Peppers, plus 1 tbsp of the oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6
2. Blitz the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped
3. Add the chickpeas, Sacla’ Pesto, 75g of the breadcrumbs, the herbs, lemon zest and juice, egg (or chickpea liquid) and chilli
4. Season and blitz again until just combined to a rough texture
5. Divide mixture into 4 and, with lightly floured hands, shape into burgers (don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round)
6. Combine remaining 25g of breadcrumbs and the seasoned flour on a plate then coat burgers well with the mixture
7. If you have time, put burgers in the fridge for about 20 minutes, to firm up
8. Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat
9. Fry burgers for 4 minutes on each side, then finish them off in the oven for about 10 minutes
10. Mix all the salsa rossa ingredients together and serve with the burgers