Italian-Style Beef Rissoles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you are looking for a substantial meal to serve your family, give this recipe a try before warm weather arrives. A rissole is an extended meat patty that is breaded and fried. Those that are deep fried are especially delicious, but these days health concerns keep most of us from that excess. The ones I've created for this post are pan-seared and baked in a tomato sauce that makes them much like a poor man's veal Parmesan. I use ground beef and Italian spices in my rissoles and I extend them with a small amount of rice. While I've included a recipe for tomato sauce, feel free to use a commercial brand if that better suits your needs and time constraints. It takes about 30 minutes to assemble the rissoles and another 30 for them to bake. If you serve them with spaghetti you'll find these Italian-style patties will satisfy the heartiest appetites at your table. I'm always surprised at how quickly this meal disappears. Here is the recipe for those of you who would like to give them a try. Mangia.


Italian-Style Beef Rissoles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Beef Patties
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Crumb Mixture
1 cup dry, seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 large egg + egg white from above
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups red sauce (see below)
Optional: 4 slices provolone cheese

Directions:
1) To make patties: Mix ground beef, rice, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, oregano and ground fennel seed in a bowl. Shape into 4 oval patties about 3/4-inch thick.
2) To make coating mixture: Combine bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a pie plate. Set aside.
3) To coat patties: In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs and water. Set aside. Spread all-purpose flour on a plate. Coat beef patties with flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture and then coat with bread crumb mixture, pressing and patting patting with fingers to make crumbs adhere.
4) To cook: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a shallow baking dish, large enough to hold patties in a single layer, with nonstick spray. Heat olive oil as needed to cover bottom of a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add patties and sear for about 3 minutes per side, or until a brown crust forms. Remove from pan. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce into baking dish. Place patties in pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, then cover with remaining tomato sauce. If using, top with provolone and last 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover pan with foil and cook until cooked or heated through, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve warm with pasta. Yield: 4 servings.

Red Sauce

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cups grated onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
2 cups tomato juice (bottled)
1 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt and ground black pepper
Granulated sugar

Directions:
To make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and fennel, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, wine, 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

                    

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