Tiny Rice Balls in Chicken Broth
2 cups Arborio Rice
4 cups whole milk
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
6 Tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano
add coarse salt and pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
White flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Olive oil and a little butter for frying
4 quarts chicken broth, home made or very best quality
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated for sprinkling on soup
Cook the rice in the milk, stirring until thoroughly dry. Add the butter, 6 tablespoons cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and mix well with fork.
Using your hands, form the rice mixture into ping-pong sized balls. Roll each ball into the flour and dip into beaten egg. Fry them in hot oil until all sides are golden. Drain on paper towels.
Heat chicken broth to boiling.
Arrange as many balls as you want to serve each person in a bowl, pour hot broth over and serve hot with grated cheese, to taste. Serves 8
Note: I like to serve one ball, with broth as an appetizer. Top with chopped parsley or cilantro. A swirl of home made pesto in the broth is pretty with this too.
Recipe is from an Italian cooking class I took last week from a local celebrity chef, Doni Greenberg.
