In Italy, these little rice balls Ivere originally made to use up left-over risotto. Somebody then thought of stuffing them and they became a dish in their own right. Serve with Fresh Tomato Sauce (see below). The rice can be cooked as day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

3 cups light chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 1/2 cups ARBOIUO rice
1 handful basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 sun-dried tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
3 ounces salmon, skinned, boned and cut into 18 cubes
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh bread cumbs
extra vegetable oil for deep-frying

Heat the stock in a pan and simmer gently. In another pan, heat the oil and cook the onion for 2 minutes, then stir in the rice. Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes or until the rice is transparent. Stir in a ladleful of the hot stock and when it has been absorbed add another ladleful. Continue adding the stock, bit-by-bit, until the rice is tender. (Add hot water if the stock runs out.) Transfer the cooked rice to a bowl and leave to cool.

Add the chopped basil, pine nuts, sun-dried tomato, Parmesan and the egg to the rice. Mix and season well. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 18 balls, each about the size of a golf ball. Make a hole in the side of each ball with your finger. Push a cube of salmon into the hole, then close it up.

Dip each ball into the beaten egg, then roll in the bread crumbs and, if time, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before frying. Deep-fry over a medium heat for 7-8 minutes to ensure that the salmon is cooked. Drain well on paper towels. Serve immediately with a bowl of Fresh Tomato Sauce.

SERVES 6

Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 1/2 cups skinned, seeded and finely chopped tomatoes
2/3-cup light cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped dill

Simply combine the tomatoes with all the other ingredients.