Marie’s Rice Balls

Ingredients

3 cups long grain white rice
2 teaspoons grated cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium sausage link, whatever flavor you like, casing removed
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley
A dash of dry basil

Salt and black pepper
3 cups bread crumbs, seasoned or homemade, plus more as needed
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
Corn or vegetable oil, for deep frying

Yields: Makes about 10 rice balls

Preparation

Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with 6 cups water. When the water is boiling, drop the rice in, give it a quick stir and then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the rice until tender and all the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the cooked rice from the heat, keep covered and let rest for 5 minutes. Add the grated cheese to the rice, fluff with a fork and reserve.

While the rice is cooking, place a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the ground beef and sausage to the pan and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and onion to the pan and continue cooking until tender, 4 to 5 minutes more. Add the crushed tomatoes, herbs and some salt and pepper to the pot and simmer until lightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Reserve.

Set up two dishes on your counter, one with the breadcrumbs and one with the eggs. When the sauce is ready and rice is cool enough to handle, scoop out about 1/4 cup of rice and spread out slightly in your hand. Using a slotted spoon scoop about a tablespoon of the meat out of the sauce and place it in the center of the rice. Top the meat with a chunk of mozzarella and close the rice up around everything to seal up the meat and cheese. Roll the ball around in the bread crumbs, coating all sides. Roll the ball through the egg wash and back through the breadcrumbs once more, making sure it’s coated on all sides. Repeat this process, forming and coating all of the balls, reserving them on a baking sheet or plate as you finish coating them.

Fill a deep, heavy pot with a couple inches of oil and place over medium heat. When the oil reaches the right temperature (it should be 350ºF if using a thermometer or you can test it with a wooden spoon – it’s ready when bubbles stream out from the handle end when it’s placed in the oil) drop the balls in a few at a time and fry, tossing occasionally, until they’re evenly golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the balls from the oil to a cookie sheet or plate lined with paper towels or a cooling screen to drain (if you’re making lots of them at once, keep them warm in a low oven while they finish cooking).

Serve the rice balls with the remaining warm tomato sauce.