Hello, my dear readers! Today I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes from my childhood: rissóis de carne. If you don’t know what they are, let me tell you: they are delicious meat-filled pastries that are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They are a typical Portuguese snack that you can find in any café or bakery, but they are also very easy to make at home.
I learned how to make rissóis de carne from my grandmother, who used to make them for every family gathering. She would prepare a big batch of dough and filling and then we would all help her shape and fry them. It was always a fun and messy activity that brought us closer together. I still remember the smell of frying oil and meat in her kitchen, and the taste of warm rissóis dipped in mustard or ketchup.
Rissóis de carne are very versatile and adaptable. You can use any kind of meat you like, such as beef, chicken, pork or even fish. You can also add some cheese, ham or vegetables to the filling if you want to make it more interesting. The dough is very simple and only requires flour, water, butter and salt. The trick is to knead it well until it is smooth and elastic. Then you roll it out thinly and cut circles with a glass or a cutter.
To assemble the rissóis, you place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle of dough. Then you fold it over and press the edges with a fork to seal them well. You can also moisten the edges with egg white to make them stick better. To bread them, you dip each rissol in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs. You repeat this process twice to make them extra crispy. Then you fry them in hot oil until golden on both sides.
And that’s how you make rissóis de carne! They are perfect for any occasion: as an appetizer, a snack or even a main course with some salad or fries on the side. They are also great for freezing and reheating later. Just make sure to let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
In this blog post, I will show you step by step how to make rissóis de carne at home with detailed instructions and photos. I will also give you some tips and variations that you can try to customize your own rissóis de carne recipe. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (280 grams)
- 2 cups of water (480 milliliters)
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 units of lemon zest
- A pinch of salt
- For the filling:
- 1 pound of ground or chopped beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- Olive oil to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parsley chopped to taste
- For breading and frying:
- Beaten eggs to taste
- Bread crumbs to taste
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Bring to a low heat a saucepan with water, salt, butter and lemon zest. When it boils, remove the zest, turn off the heat and add the flour. Stir until it comes off the pan.
- Place the dough on a plate and let it cool slightly. Then knead it well with your hands until it is smooth and homogeneous.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin until it is thin. Cut circles of dough with a glass or a cutter.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic chopped with some olive oil until soft. Add the meat and season with salt, pepper and parsley. Cook until the meat is browned and loose. If you want, you can add some tomato sauce or bechamel sauce to make the filling creamier.
- Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle of dough. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges with a fork to seal well.
- Dip each croquette in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs. Repeat this process twice to make them very crispy.
- Heat oil in a skillet over high heat and fry the croquettes until golden on both sides. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess fat.
Notes
- For the dough, make sure to add enough flour so that it comes off easily from the pan. Knead it well until it is smooth and elastic. Roll it out thinly and cut circles with a glass or a cutter.
- For the filling, you can use any kind of meat you like, but make sure to chop it finely or use a food processor. You can also add some tomato sauce or bechamel sauce to make it creamier and more flavorful. Season well with salt, pepper, garlic and parsley.
- To assemble the rissóis, place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle of dough. Fold it over and press the edges with a fork to seal them well. You can also moisten the edges with egg white to make them stick better.
- To bread and fry them, dip each rissol in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs. Repeat this process twice to make them extra crispy. Fry them in hot oil until golden on both sides and drain them on paper towels.
