Don't you just love Sicilian rice balls? They're delicious, with an exterior crunch that gives way to a soft cheesy interior filled with risotto and cheese. The problem is, they're a ton of work. Even when using leftover risotto, you still have to roll the balls, bread them, and then fry them on top of that. In the recipe below, you get all the taste without any of that work.
You'll still get that crunch from the layer of bread crumbs not just on the top, but the bottom, too; and you can place whatever you like inside. Instead of traditional peas, I opted for green pepper, but there's still enough cheese to keep you pulling strings for days!
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Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole
8
25 minutes
30 minutes
60 minutes
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, cut in a small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, cut in a small dice
1 24-ounce can tomato sauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese,grated
4 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons basil, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook rice, with the 1 teaspoon of salt, according to package directions.
While the rice is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat. When hot add the Italian sausage, onion, garlic, and green pepper. Cook until sausage is fully cooked through, about 7 minutes.
Place the fully cooked rice into a large bowl. Add half of the tomato sauce, eggs, and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
Oil a 9" x 13" casserole dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place half of the bread crumbs inside and turn to ensure the bottom is fully coated.
Press half of the rice mixture into the bottom of the pan. Add the Italian sausage mixture, along with a little more sauce. Top with half of the mozzarella cheese. Add the rest of the rice onto the Italian sausage mixture and press down. Top with the rest of the tomato sauce and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the bread crumbs on top.
Cover the casserole with foil and place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the casserole is hot and bubbling throughout.
Remove casserole from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped basil and serve.
