STARTERS

Deep-fried ham and rice rolls

Time taken: 45 mins
Ingredients for 4 people:
200 g rice, 8 slices of cooked ham, 8 slices of cheese, a sprig of parsley, a knob of butter, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, oil, salt 

Cook the rice in salted water, drain and mix with the knob of butter and chopped parsley. Lay a slice of cheese on each slice of ham with a little of the rice in equal portions. Roll up the slices of ham with the cheese and rice inside. Dip them in the beaten egg with a little salt added, then in the breadcrumbs, and fry in hot oil. When they are golden brown, lay on kitchen paper and serve piping hot. 

Time taken: 25 mins
Ingredients for 4 people:
250 g rice, 200 g tuna fish, 100 g green olives stuffed with hot pepper, 30 g capers, oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice.

Boil the rice in salted water, drain when al dente and add one table-spoonful of oil.Press into moulds with a hole in the centre and leave to rest before turning them onto a serving dish.Roughly chop the tuna, slice the olives into rounds and mix with the capers, oil and lemon juice.Leave aside for a while, season with freshly-ground black pepper and use the mixture to fill the rice-nests. Garnish as desired. 

Time taken: 45 mins
Ingredients for 4 people:
280 g rice, 100 g minced meat, 50 g butter, 50 g tomato sauce, 50 g salami, grated Parmesan, 4 eggs, 1 onion, 1 spoonful chopped parsley, breadcrumbs, oil, salt.

Chop the onion and fry in a little oil until golden.Mix with the minced meat (veal if possible) and sauté for a few minutes. Add the tomato sauce and a few spoonfuls of hot water. Salt as desired and cook for 20 mins. Dice the salami and mix with the chopped parsley.Meanwhile, boil the rice in salted water, taking care not to let it cook completely.Add two of the eggs, the butter and the Parmesan and mix well. Take enough of the mixture to form a rice-ball, and put a spoonful of the meat and tomato sauce in the centre. Beat the last two eggs, add salt and breadcrumbs, roll the rice balls in the mixture and fry in plenty of very hot oil. 

Time taken: 35 mins
 Ingredients for 4 people:
200 g rice, 30 g butter, 16 mussels, 1 clove of garlic, 1 onion, 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley and a few basil leaves, 2 tablespoonfuls of oil, 1 small tin of peeled tomatoes, salt, pepper, stock, 1 glass of dry white wine. 

Clean the mussels thoroughly and boil in salted water until they have opened completely.Remove the mussels from their shells and set aside with the liquid which should be carefully filtered.Put the finely chopped onion, garlic, half the butter and the oil into a pan.Add the tomatoes, and cook for a while before adding the rice. Stir for a few minutes, then add the white wine and cook until it has reduced. Still stirring, add the liquid from the mussels and cook for about 15 minutes, adding more stock if necessary. Add salt and pepper if necessary, the rest of the butter, the mussels, and the chopped parsley and basil. Fill the shells with the mixture.