Rice and mince balls

Makes 14 Preparation time: 15 min Baking time: 30 min

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock 30 ml (2 T) olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic clove, crushed 500 ml (2 c) Arborio rice 200 g beef mince 80 ml (⅓ c) tomato purée 500 ml (2 c) breadcrumbs 3 eggs, lightly whisked 60 ml (¼ c) oil

1 Preheat the oven to 200 °C. 2 Put the stock in a large saucepan and cover. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm. 3 Heat half the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. 4 Add the rice. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 80 ml (⅓ c) stock to the rice mixture. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the stock. Repeat with the remaining stock, adding 80 ml (⅓ c) at a time until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is mushy and creamy. 5 Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the mince and cook, stirring with a spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Add the tomato purée and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 6 Line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and the eggs in another. 7 Using clean, wet hand, roll some of the rice mixture into a round the size of a golf ball size. Push your thumb into the ball to make a hole. Fill with 15 ml (1 T) of the mince mixture. Push the rice mixture around the mince and reshape into a ball. Repeat with remaining rice and mince to make 14 balls. 8 Dip the balls into the whisked eggs, then the breadcrumbs and transfer to the prepared baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Serve hot or cold.

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