Mini cheeseburgers with meatballs and goat cheese

Ingredients:

Meatballs

• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds, grind
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 60 g soft goat cheese (1/4 cup)
• 600-700 g of ground veal
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• Coarse salt

Sauce

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 800 g of marinated cherry tomatoes with marinade, crush the tomatoes by hand
• 1/4 tsp dried pepper flakes
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Mini cheeseburgers

• 220 g soft goat cheese (1 cup)
• 2.5 tbsp. mascarpone cheese
• 1.5 tbsp. cow's milk
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp chopped fresh dill
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 24 small hamburger buns
• Pickled cucumbers, sliced, for serving

Preparation:

1. Prepare meatballs: Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for another 1 minute.
2. Add coriander, fennel seeds, and rosemary to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, roll the goat cheese into balls with a diameter of 12 - 15 mm.
4. Add the ground meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the bowl with the spices and mix well. Form the ground meat into 24 small patties (each containing approximately 2 tablespoons of ground meat). Make a small indentation in each patty and place 1 ball of goat cheese in the center. Press the ground meat onto the cheese and roll into balls.
5. Prepare the sauce: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with marinade, pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and sugar. Cook the sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in oregano.
6. Place the meatballs in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes.
7. Assemble cheeseburgers: In a bowl, mix the goat cheese, mascarpone, and milk until smooth. Stir in the oregano, rosemary, thyme, dill, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper.
   
   Spread the bottom halves of the buns with the cheese mixture, top with pickles and meatballs, and drizzle with the remaining sauce. Top the cheeseburgers with the top halves of the buns.