Recipe - Rice Cheese Croquettes

2 cup Rice; short grained
One fourth cup Onion; finely minced
2 tablespoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 One half cup hot water
1 cup Tomatoes; peeled
2 Eggs; slightly beaten
1 pound Mozzarella; cut in 24 1/4
inch X 1 inch bits
1 cup Bread crumbs; fine
1 cup Vegetable oil; for frying

Suppli al Telefono To quote the author, "It is not easy to make Suppli al
Telefono. Nevertheless, it pays to make the effort once in awhile because
this dish always makes family and guests happy. The name comes from the
fact that a thread of cheese will spin between your mouth and the suppli
while you are eating it, resembling the mouthpiece of an early model
telephone from the time this dish was first created. Suppl can be served as
an appetizer, as a side dish in a dairy meal, or as a meal in itself for a
lunch or brunch. ...Suppli should be served piping hot. Tell your guests,
who might have never had them before, that suppli should be eaten with the
fingers." Place rice, onion and olive oil in 2 qt saucepan and saute 2 or 3
minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and 3 One half cups hot water. Bring to a
boil. Lower heat to minimum and cook, covered, without stirring, 15
minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes longer, stirring
frequently. The rice should now be quite dry. Remove from heat and cool for
15 to 20 minutes, add eggs and mix well. With damp hands, shape heaping
tablespoons of the mixture into croquettes the size of a large egg; insert
one piece of cheese into each croquette, making sure that the cheese is
completely coated with rice. Roll in bread crumbs and fry a few at a time
in hot oil till golden brown on all sides. SERVES: 6

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini