Brenda’s Italian Style Patties

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian-style seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3/4 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups chopped stewed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 (2 ounce) can chopped black olives, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced pepperoni sausage
• 12 slices mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, eggs, onion, green bell pepper, salt, ground black pepper, Italian-style seasoning, sage, garlic powder, 1/2 cup pizza sauce and stewed tomatoes. Mix well and form into 24 patties using a 1/4 cup measuring cup OR an ice cream scoop.

In a separate small bowl, combine the mushrooms and olives and set aside. Arrange 12 patties on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Place 4 slices of pepperoni on each patty, then a small amount of the mushroom olive mixture, and then a slice of mozzarella cheese. Top each patty off with another patty and pinch the edges all around to seal everything into the middle. Finally, top each with a drizzle of remaining pizza sauce and some shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes.