Baked mushroom sandwich with cheese, lettuce and pickles

Ingredients:

• 4 large portobello mushrooms, puréed
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 6 large cloves of garlic
• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 3/4 cup semi-hard cheese, grated
• 8 basil leaves, torn
• 2–4 leaves of iceberg lettuce
• Sliced ​​pickles with brine, for serving
• A little red wine vinegar
• 2 burger buns, buttered and toasted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place the mushrooms, gill-side up, along with the onion and garlic cloves, in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with half the olive oil. Pour 1/2 cup of water over the mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bake in the center of the oven until the mushrooms have shrunk and are dark brown, 15–18 minutes. Remove and let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg with a small amount of water. In another medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and minced garlic (reserve 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs for the filling). Dip each mushroom in the egg mixture, then coat completely in the breadcrumbs.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining olive oil until it begins to smoke. Add the breaded mushrooms. Fry on one side until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip and fry on the other side until golden brown, another 2-3 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the oil and arrange them in a single layer on a clean baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Prepare the filling:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the fried garlic cloves and onion pieces with the cheese. Add the egg and the remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. Add the basil and mix well.
6. On the same baking sheet, place two mushrooms, caps down, spaced apart. Top each with half the filling, then arrange the remaining mushrooms on top, pressing lightly but firmly to create a compact mushroom sandwich. Bake until the cheese in the filling is melted, 6–8 minutes.
7. Arrange the lettuce leaves to form two bowls. Add a little brine and red wine vinegar to each. Season with salt and pepper, then top with a few sliced ​​pickles.
8. Place each mushroom sandwich on the bottom half of a toasted bun. Top with salad and dressing, and finally, top with the top bun. Serve.