Sicilian Rice Balls

Family Favorite, this is a great dish to get the kids involved in the kitchen to help cook dinner with you

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb long grain rice
• 1  cup  imported grated romano cheese
• 16  ounces  seasoned  Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine
• 2  eggs, beaten

• Filling

• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  lb lean ground beef
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 1  dash  salt and pepper
•  canola oil (for frying)

Directions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.