ITALIAN RICE BALLS

ITALIAN RICE BALLS image

Yield 8 to 12 rice balls

Number Of Ingredients 15

For Rice Mixture
4 cups cooked Arborio rice al dente, slightly cooled
3 eggs
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
4 ounces prosciutto, chopped
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 cup dried seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups frying oil
For Meat Mixture
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1 (16 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed

Steps:

1. To make rice mixture: In a medium bowl, mix together the rice, eggs, Romano cheese, prosciutto, salt, oregano and pepper. 2. To make meat mixture: In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside to cool. 3. To assemble rice balls: Place 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in your hand and insert a cube of mozzarella and a teaspoon of the meat mixture into the center. Roll into a ball and repeat to form the remaining rice balls. 4. To cook rice balls: In a small bowl, beat 1 egg to form an egg wash. Dip each rice ball in the egg wash and then roll in the bread crumbs. Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil to 325°F in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Fry the rice balls about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.