Although the word rissol derives from the French word “rissoler” (to brown), the rissol recipe came to Brazil via Portugal, where preparation of appetizers is a tradition and an art.
For the filling of this appetizer you may also use cheese, cold meat thinly cut or vegetables.
Ingredients
For the dough:
• 500 ml milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 300 g all-purpose flour
For the filling:
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 100 g peeled tomatoes, cut in small cubes
• prawns (500 g) or skinned, boiled and boned salt cod (200 g) or fish (300 g) or chicken (250 g) or chopped palm heart (250 g)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 150 ml milk, approximately
• salt and black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
For bread coating:
• 2 eggs
• salt
• bread crumbs
Preparation method
Preparation of the dough:
1. Mix the milk, butter and salt and bring to a boil.
2. Add flour and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a thick smooth ball. If necessary add more flour.
3. Allow to cool. It can be stored in the fridge (wrapped in plastic film) and used the next day.
Preparation of the filling:
1. Sauté the onion and the garlic finely chopped in oil and butter.
2. Add the tomato cubes, the chosen filling and cook over moderate heat.
3. Add flour and milk, cook stirring constantly till the mixture thickens. Filling must be creamy, add more milk if necessary.
4. Season with salt, black pepper and chopped parsley.
5. To enrich the filling you may add diced cheese, olives or hard-boiled eggs.
To assemble the rissóis:
1. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is 0,5 cm thick.
2. Cut out 7 – 8 cm disks (diameter).
3.Place a small amount of filling on the disks and fold the dough over it to form a “tortello” and seal the edges.
4. Dip in beaten eggs and coat with bread crumbs.
5. Deep fry a few at a time in the hot oil, so as to keep the oil hot, until they are golden brown. To check the oil temperature put a toothpick into it: if it forms small bubbles it is hot enough.
6. Place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.
They can be made ahead and re-heated before serving. They can be frozen before or after frying.
Posted on: 11 November 2011
I’m an architect. I was born in Brazil and my father was Italian.