Italian Rice Balls - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups short-grain rice
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup romano cheese, grated
2 eggs, well beaten
1/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup genoa salami, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup provolone cheese, diced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, diced
2 eggs, for dipping
2 cups breadcrumbs, for dipping
oil (for deep frying)

Preparation

Wash the rice and drain well. Place in a 2 quart saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, uncover.
Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes and remove from the heat. Do not remove the lid during this process. Allow the rice to sit for 15 minutes.
Add the melted butter, parsley, grated cheese and eggs to the rice. Stir well to blend and set aside.
Saute the ground beef, drain and cool. Mix the ground beef, salami, mushrooms, Provolone and mozzarella together.
Lightly moisten hands and shake off excess water. Form a ball of rice, just smaller than a golf ball, and using a thumb, poke a hole into the center and put in some of the salami and cheese stuffing.
Seal up the hole by pinching it together. Finish all balls before cooking.
Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep pan.
Dip the rice balls in egg and then in bread crumbs. Fry in fat, a few at a time, until light brown.
Keep warm in oven until serving.