Homemade Lamb Burger with homemade rolls and homemade raw tahini

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade rolls ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   BowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
3. 3
   Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
4. 4
   Divide the dough into 12 equal balls: cut it with a bench scraper and roll each piece under your palm into a smooth ball.

   Bench scraperKitchen scale

   💡Balls of equal weight bake in the same time: weigh the dough and divide it by weight, not by eye.
5. 5
   Place the balls on parchment paper on a baking sheet, with space between each ball.

   Baking panParchment paper

   💡Leave space between the balls: they grow as they rise and in the oven, and when crowded they stick together and bake pale at the sides.
6. 6
   Cover and Let rise another 30 minutes, until the rolls have risen.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel
7. 7
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
8. 8
   Bake 15–20 minutes, until the rolls are golden.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.

For the Meatball mix

1. 9
   Mix the ground meat with the onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper until evenly combined.
2. 10
   Chill the mixture 15 minutes.

   Refrigerator
3. 11
   Divide the mixture into 4 flat round patties, 2 cm thick.

To assemble

1. 12
   Heat a grill to high heat.

   Charcoal grillorGas grill
2. 13
   Grill the burgers 3–4 minutes per side, until they are browned outside and done to your liking.

   Tongs

   💡Don't press the meat or flip it more than once: the juices run out and the meat dries out. It releases from the grate once the underside is browned.
3. 14
   Halve the buns and toast them On the grill.

   Knife
4. 15
   Grind the sesame seeds in a powerful blender about 3 minutes, until smooth paste forms.

   Blender

   💡At first the sesame looks like dry crumbs: keep grinding, scraping down the sides, and after a few minutes it releases its oil and turns liquid.

   💡In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
5. 16
   Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. 17
   Spread the tahini on the buns.
7. 18
   Arrange the lettuce and tomatoes in each bun, and top with a hot patty. Serve with Israeli salad.