| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 55 min |
| Prep: | 35 min |
| Inactive: | 2 hr |
| Cook: | 20 min |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup Italian rice
- Pinch saffron, optional
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 pound ground lean beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 5 large fresh sweet basil leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 1/2 cups boiling water, for rice, plus 1/2 cup water, for sauce
- 1 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 cup frozen or fresh peas
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot, pour in uncooked rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add saffron, if using and pour in wine until wine evaporates. Begin stirring in boiling water until rice is tender. Cook rice uncovered. Add salt and pepper, to taste. When rice is cooked take off heat, mix in cheese and 2 eggs. Place in refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours or overnight. Rice must be chilled.
- In a large frying pan over medium heat add oil, saute onions and the chopped garlic for 2 minutes, add in the beef and pork, and brown. Remove excess grease. Add in basil, tomato paste, tomato sauce , water, and sugar until it all becomes thick in texture. Add peas while still warm, take off heat and set aside. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Take 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture, place in hand and form a small cup.
- Place 1/2 teaspoon of the meat mixture to center of the rice cup, add 1 teaspoon of the rice over the meat mixture and roll in a ball. Roll the rice ball in the remaining eggs and then roll that into the bread crumbs. Heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Deep-fry rice balls until browned, place on a paper towel lined plate or dish.
- Before serving garnish with cheese and/or the extra sauce.
Reviews
can it not be a SQUARE!
This is a great recipe. I added Knorrs powdered chicken boullion to the rice water and also fresh chopped parsley to the rice when it was done. Delicious
Looks fabulous…I’ll go to Tony’s (in St Louis, Missouri) and order it!
I used a different cooking technique with this recipe because I didn’t have breadcrumbs and I had made quinoa and faro, and I had some groud beef. It is so good!
I had to laugh at the disclaimer. Anything from Vince Bommarito is bound to be darn near perfect. He is restaurant royalty.
Almost perfect. I do agree that the meat part was bland, so after reading the reviews, I added more salt and pepper and they turned out delicious. The actual assembly is difficult, but nothing the breading couldn’t fix.
I tried these rice balls. We found them a bit bland. instead of deep frying them I used a special pan to shallow fry them.
Delicious, unbelievable!
First time trying this and it works perfectly during the new year’s eve! Love it, very flavorful and greatly appetizing.
This is such an awesome recipe! These rice balls are full of Italian flavor and are a nice change of pace from my “usual” dishes. Outstanding!!!!!