“Berlin’s Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms”
By Adam Berlin, senior,
marketing major, Atlanta

3 links of Italian sausage
12 large button or stuffing mushrooms
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
� cup Pecorino Romano cheese
4 garlic cloves
� teaspoon fresh basil
� cup finely chopped cilantro
Sprinkle dried oregano
� teaspoon fennel powder
Black pepper
White flour
Olive oil

Clean the mushrooms with a damp towel and remove the stems by hand and discard them. Use a small spoon to scrape the flesh of the mushrooms where the stem was removed to leave room for stuffing.
Remove the Italian sausage from its casing and slice the garlic cloves thinly (about 1/8 of an inch). Brown the meat lightly in olive oil over high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic to the oil and sausage, continuing to cook for another minute. Remove the sausage and garlic from the oil. Preheat oven to 350� F.
In a bowl, combine the drained sausage and garlic, � cup bread crumbs, cheese, cilantro, fennel, oregano, and basil. Start with less bread crumbs and add more until the desired moisture level is obtained; the mixture should clump together somewhat.
Sprinkle the scraped insides of the mushrooms with flour and crushed black pepper in order to protect the flesh from excess moisture. Using a spoon and your hands, fill the mushrooms with the mixture.
Pour a thin layer of olive oil on a small plate, and spread a thin layer of bread crumbs on a separate plate. Dip the unstuffed flesh side of the mushrooms, and then roll the entire mushroom in the bread crumbs. Place the mushrooms, stuffed side up, on a lightly greased metal pan and bake at 350� F for 8-10 minutes or until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve warm.