Here's the Recipe Mario Batali Is Making on Father's Day (It's Not Italian!)

This Sunday, treat dad with a simple yet memorable meal that has the seal of approval from one of our favorite chefs, Mario Batali. When we asked the celebrated chef for a special Father’s Day dish, he gave us this easy-to-execute recipe from his sons Leo and Benno’s archive: pocket burgers with blue cheese. They’re easy and inexpensive to make, “yet they demand a delicious red wine to drink, like a nice Chateauneuf de Pape (a full-bodied red from the Rhone Valley in France) or an exquisite Barbaresco (a rich red from Piedmont, Italy),” says chef Batali. “It’s a win-win!”

Pocket Burgers with Bleu Cheese

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients

1 ¾ lb. ground chuck

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup crumbled bleu cheese

4 hamburger buns

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Toppings

Red onion, sliced

Ketchup

Chinese mustard ($2; jet.com)

Relish

Mayonnaise

Sliced Jalapenos

Pickles

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Directions

1. Form your ground chuck into eight evenly sized thin patties.

2. On one side of each patty, sprinkle a quarter of the cumin, pepper, and salt.

3. Flip four patties over, and place a quarter of the bleu cheese in the center of each of the four patties.

4. Take the “top” patties and place them over the bleu cheese, making sure that the spices are on the outside.

5. Gently push down around the blue cheese to seal the top and bottom patties together.

6. Brush the outside of each burger lightly with olive oil and a pinch more salt. Put your burgers on a grill at medium heat and cook for seven minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking.

7. Place each patty on a toasted hamburger bun, top with desired toppings, and enjoy.