Recipe by Helen Dollaghan, from the Sept. 19, 1976 edition of The Denver Post.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
4 eggs
3/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch dry parsley flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounces each)
1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups white rice, cooked according to package directions
1 tablespoon grated romano cheese
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
Directions
Combine beef, two of the eggs, crumbs, onion, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic. Mix well. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls. Cook balls in small amount of oil until brown on all sides. Drain off grease. Combine tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Add meatballs. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about one hour or until sauce thickens. Stir occasionally. Generously butter bottom and sides of shallow 2-quart casserole. Coat bottom and sides of casserole with additional fine dry bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup). Combine rice, remaining two eggs which have been beaten, romano cheese, additional salt and pepper to taste. Firmly press half of rice mixture evenly over bottom and sides of casserole. Spoon half of the sauce and meat balls over rice. Sprinkle cheddar cheese cubes on top. Add the remaining rice. Bake, uncovered, in oven preheated to 400 degrees about 1 hour. Loosen edges of rice cake with spatula, and invert the whole cake onto a serving dish, or cut it in squares while it is still in the casserole. Serve with remaining sauce and meatballs on top.
*Each week, we uncover a favorite from the Denver Post vault —this week, Helen Dollaghan’s 1976 recipe for Italian rice cake. Serve it as a main course, salad on the side.
