Sicilian Rice Balls Recipes

Steps:

• Filling Instructions: Saute onions and lean ground beef. Cook until brown. Add rest of filling ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. After cooking, drain off excess juices.
• Prepare the Rice: Buy very cheap rice. Do not rinse before cooking or the rice will not hold together for balls. Cook it in rice cooker with the ratio of one part rice to two parts water. After the rice is cooked, add butter and Romano. Don't be skimpy with the Romano cheese because it helps hold the balls together. Allow to cool.
• Put the balls together: Put a heaping serving spoon of rice in the palm of your hand. Poke a hold and fill it with some of the meat mixture. Put another spoon of rice on top. Form it into a ball with your hands. dip the ball in egg and then in the breadcrumbs. make all of the balls ahead, then refrigerate or freeze them until ready to fry. Fry in about 1" of canola oil until golden brown.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese, parsley, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate.
• Pour water and 1 teaspoon salt into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and reduce heat to low. Cook rice until water is almost absorbed, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and slowly pour in egg mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent egg from scrambling. Allow rice mixture to cool for 1 hour.
• Pour bread crumbs into a pile on one end of a cutting board. Dampen hands and roll rice mixture into 1 inch balls, then coat each one with bread crumbs.
• In a small, deep skillet, heat olive oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (Should have enough oil to completely cover rice balls.) Fry rice balls 6 at a time, turning as needed to ensure even browning. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Steps:

• Wash rice and cook in 4 cups boiling, salted water until tender.
• Meanwhile, place chopped beef, chicken livers, oil, garlic and onion in saucepan and brown gently.
• Add mushrooms and cook 1 minute more.
• Add tomato paste and 1 cup warm water and cook 30 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper.
• Drain rice, add butter and grated cheese (Parmesan or Romano) and cool a bit.
• To this, add the egg yolks and the tomato gravy, holding aside the meat and mushrooms.
• Mix rice well.
• Make little balls of rice, place inside each ball some of the meat, liver, mushroom mixture.
• Dip rice balls into lightly beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs and fry in hot olive oil until golden brown all over.
• Can be served plain or with additional gravy.