Nouranyeh's Recipe

Kale, Pancetta, Rice & Cheese Fritters

Category: Recipes

Ingredients:
4 ounces Tuscan kale (about 1/2 bunch)

4 ounces pancetta, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (8.8-ounce) pouch precooked long-grain white rice

1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/4 cups plus 1/3 cup Bertolli® Tomato & Basil Sauce

1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, divided



Instructions:
Remove stems from kale and thinly slice the leaves crosswise.

Cook the pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon, reserving the drippings in the pan.

Add kale and garlic to the drippings and cook until kale wilts, 2 to 3 minutes.

Knead the rice pouch to separate grains and pour the rice into a medium bowl. Add the pancetta, the kale mixture, 1/2 cup panko crumbs, the mozzarella, 1/3 cup Bertolli® Tomato & Basil Sauce, Pecorino Romano, and eggs. Stir until well combined.

Place the remaining 3/4 cup panko crumbs in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop the rice mixture up with a 1/4-cup measure; tap it out into your hand and roll firmly into a ball. Gently roll the ball in panko and place in the skillet. Repeat 4 more times to make 5 balls.

Flatten balls slightly in the skillet with a spatula. Cook until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the fritters from the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining oil, rice mixture, and panko. While the second batch of fritters cooks, keep the cooked fritters warm on a sheet pan in an oven at 200°F.

Spoon 1/4 cup warm Bertolli® Tomato & Basil Sauce onto 5 appetizer-size plates and top each with 2 fritters.