Rice croquettes with Bolognese sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 bags of rice
• 200 g cooked ham, diced
• 150 g cheese, grated (Emmental)
• 1 pinch(s) of pepper
• 2 eggs, for the breading
• Breadcrumbs, for the breading
• Oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, white, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400 g minced meat, lean beef
• 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped needles
• 800 g tomatoes, chopped
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp vegetable broth, granulated
• Salt and pepper cayenne pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp oregano

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

The sauce should be prepared first so it can cook thoroughly before the croquettes are ready. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and fry over low heat for about 2 minutes. Add the minced meat and fry, stirring, until crumbly. Stir in the rosemary, tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, stock powder, and oregano, and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. While the sauce is cooking, cook the rice in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, cut the ham into small cubes. Place the hot rice and ham in a bowl, season with a pinch of pepper, and mix roughly. Then add the grated Emmental cheese and mix everything into a thick, sticky mass. Allow to cool slightly, then use moistened hands to form large croquettes (you’ll get 6-8 croquettes) from the mixture and place them on a plate. Coat the cooled croquettes in egg and breadcrumbs and fry in a pan until golden brown. Serve with the Bolognese sauce. You can also serve it with a tomato sauce. Serve with a green salad or cucumber salad. Breaded and unfried croquettes are ideal for freezing.