Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- 1 cup dry yellow split peas
- 1½ cups grated zucchini
- ¼ cup yellow onion, (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup black olives
- 3 tablespoons olive oil marinated sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon garlic, (roughly chopped)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup almond meal (not flour)
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon corn flour (not meal), (divided)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1-2 pinches cayenne
- a few turns freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil for the pan
Instruction
- Prepare two sheet pans. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cook the split peas. In a medium-sized pot, mix the dry split peas with 3 cups water, bring to a boil, and then simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. (You will need 2 cups cooked split peas, and likely have a bit extra.) Pour them onto one of the parchment-lined sheet pans. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes to cool and dry out. *(You can do this portion up to a day ahead of time, keeping them refrigerated until you're ready to use them. If you do this, let them air dry the same way for about 10 minutes.)
- Blend the "wet" ingredients. Use your hands to "wring out" the grated zucchini to remove as much liquid as possible. Add it to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Then add the cooked, cooled/dried split peas, onion, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. Blend until everything is incorporated and it's relatively smooth. Then add the egg and process just until it's blended in.
- Combine the pea mixture with the dry ingredients. Add the almond meal, corn flour, paprika, salt and cayenne to a large mixing bowl. Add the pea mixture and mix until smooth.
- Shape the burgers. Dust a clean dry surface with the remaining 1 tablespoon of corn flour. Divide the batter into six equal portions (about a very generous ⅓ cup each), and shape it into approximately 1 inch thick burgers. Place them on the corn flour-dusted surface as you make them. Then flip them over to coat the other side. This should be a very light coating and you can gently even it out with your hands. Place them on the second parchment-lined baking sheet as you go.
- Cook the burgers. Coat the bottom of a large non-stick skillet with olive oil and place it over high-medium heat. Carefully add the shaped burgers to the pan. You should hear a sizzling sound — if you don’t, wait! (You won’t get a nice “crust” on the burger if it’s not hot enough.) Sauté until the bottoms are nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over them if the skillet looks dry, carefully flip them over, and reduce the heat to low-medium. Sauté to brown the other side and cook them through, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Serve!