Italian Rice Balls
31 August 2009

I discovered something early on in my kitchen experiences: I rarely, if at all, follow a recipe. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have probably over 100 cookbooks, not to mention the hundreds of handwritten and clipped recipes kept in various books and binders. I will follow a recipe exactly when baking, but otherwise, I usually just use them for reference, unless making something completely unfamiliar. All the rest of what I create seems to be instinctive. When I make something just by throwing the ingredients together off the top of my head, it is difficult for me to discipline myself to sit down and write down just what I did. It's advisable to have a solid, successfully tested recipe to follow for catering, however, just for maintaining consistent quality. Thanks to my family�s insistence upon my documenting the really great things that made us all (even the kids!) say "Wow!" I have made a concerted effort to write it all down as they occur.

Last night was just such an occurrence. This is the place where what turned out to be a fantastically, pleasant surprise will be shared, because it was so good, I can't keep it for myself. If you're Italian, these may be quite familiar, but otherwise, just go with it.

Every time I had eaten rice balls they were presented as having been a time consuming, all out effort, and really just served at holidays. Only one of my sisters-in-law even makes them, and she always acts as though they're quite the treat. News flash, here—they are dry, starchy, flavorless, unless ladled with sauce, and land in your stomach like lead, only to expand to take up maximum capacity. All the hype for these things, and I was always disappointed. Because of these experiences, I was determined to make my own version of Italian Rice Balls something to be treasured.

My husband ate 2� of them, and upon finishing our dinner, quickly had me wrap several to bring down the street to his eldest brother and sister-in-law, as well as another couple of them to get to his mother and sister. He was so impressed by these that he insisted they had to be shared immediately, while they were still warm and crisp on the outside, and the cheese was still gooey on the inside. Nobody could believe how good they were. How flattered was I when I promptly received a call asking how it had been possible to make them taste that good? They had never had anything like this in Brooklyn! (For the record, we didn't dare share any with the sister-in-law who usually makes them, for fear of truly insulting her. She'll just have to wait until the next family gathering at my house.)

Italian Rice Balls
(Makes 10)

1 � c uncooked rice
2 � c water, with 1 t salt and 1 clove garlic, crushed
�-1 c tomato sauce of your choice (I used my own marinara)
� c chopped, fresh parsley
� c chopped, fresh basil (or 1 T dried)
� c grated or shredded good quality Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1 or 2 Italian sausages, casings removed, browned and crumbled
10 one inch cubes of mozzarella cheese

1 cup (or more) flour, seasoned with 1 t garlic powder
1 beaten egg with 2-3 T milk
2-2 � cups bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Method

Cook the rice according to package directions - my rule of thumb is to bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 mins - NO PEAKING! Make sure to add the clove of garlic to the water along with the salt for this recipe.

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it up, and transfer to a large bowl. Keep "fluffing" it to help cool, and to release the steam. Add the tomato sauce, mixing in thoroughly, and adding just enough to keep it moist, but not soupy. Add the parsley, basil, Parmesan cheese, sausage, black pepper, and combine well.

To form balls, keep hands wet to make handling easier. Form 10 balls, all about the size of a tennis ball, or even a touch smaller. Use your thumb to press into the center of each ball, and insert the mozzarella cheese, and seal it back up, forming back into a ball. Place on cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill until ready for frying.

Follow the 3-step process - coat in flour, then egg-wash, then roll in bread crumbs.

Deep fry, or do in a deep pan filled half-way with vegetable oil, and cook until the balls achieve a rich, golden brown color. Remove to paper towels to drain, and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve. Offer extra sauce along with them.

I already am thinking of variations on this, like using hot Italian sausage, instead of sweet. I'd gladly substitute the mozzarella for smoked mozzarella or provolone or fontina. Incorporating ground lamb, pine nuts and currants to lead the flavor further East in the Mediterranean would be fun. Going in that direction, using feta or Kasseri cheese would be amazing.

See how my mind wanders when it comes to food? I come up with something good, and I can't stop finding ways to augment or embellish. That's part of my fun with it all. And, I won't be at all insulted should anyone do the very same thing to the recipes I post. The creative process is an amazingly addictive thing.