Mushroom & Rice "neat" Balls

This originates from Veg Times January 2000, but I found it veganized by www.veganangela.com. They're intended to be served with your favourite tomato sauce over pasta.....I think they would really compliment many other dishes.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yields: 24 balls

Ingredients

• 2 2⁄3 cups vegetable broth
• 3⁄4 cup arborio rice, uncooked
• 1  lb cremini mushroom, finely chopped (should make 2 cups when finely chopped, use cremini or button too)
• 4  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  vegan egg (ie EnerG egg replacer, flax egg or chia egg)
• 1  cup  dried breadcrumbs
• 3  tablespoons  almond meal
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1  teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to a simmer over high heat. Add rice, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, approx 18 to 20 minutes. Stir almost constantly during last 5 minutes of cooking. When done, transfer to large bowl and set aside.
2. While the rice cooks, finely chop your mushrooms (use a food processor if you like). In large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2-3 minutes Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 minutes Add to bowl with rice; let cool.
3. Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
4. Add vegan egg, breadcrumbs, almond meal, nutritional yeast, parsley, salt and pepper to cooled rice mixture and mix well. Form mixture about 24 oval or round nuggets, each about 2 inches in diameter. Your slightly damp hands are probably the best tool for doing this.
5. Clean out your skillet then heat up the remaining 2 tsp olive oil over medium high heat; tilt to coat bottom. Add half the nuggets and cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes Turn nuggets over onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining nuggets. Bake until nuggets are browned and firm, 15-20 minutes
6. Serve the "Neat" balls hot over tomato sauce & pasta, or any other dish you think will compliment.