This grilled cheese/burger hybrid is said to have been invented in the 1940s or ’50s when the popularity of drive-in restaurants and diners was on the rise. Today, the patty melt stands as a shining, somewhat greasy example of the classic American diner sandwich.
Ingredients
1/3 pound of ground meat – I used ground chicken, but turkey or ground beef is okay.
1 whole onion – small to medium.
2 slices of bread – normally rye bread is used for a Patty Melt, but you can use any type of bread (or buns) you like.
American cheese – 2 slices. Again, if you have a favorite (like cheddar or Swiss) go ahead and try it out.
1 tablespoon of butter – for toasting bread in the pan.
1 tablespoon of cooking oil – for caramelizing the onions.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a medium to low heating frying pan. Add chopped onions and stir around for a couple of minutes. This process takes 10 – 15 minutes.
Next, form a meat patty (or patties) that is slightly larger than the bread slice. I got three patties from one pound of ground chicken.
Add one tablespoon of oil to a frying pan, over a medium heat. Add patty and season with salt and pepper. Brown each side of the patty, until done.
Now time to put it all together. Add a tablespoon of butter to medium heating pan. Coat bottom of pan so butter will coat the bread slice. Add one slice of bread, a slice of cheese, meat patty then top with caramelized onions and one more cheese slice. Top it all off with the last bread slice.
