Meatballs with Rice in Tomato Sauce

Rinse the rice, cover it with water and cook for 10–12 minutes so it stays slightly underdone. Drain in a colander and let cool completely.

Finely chop one onion. Combine the ground meat, cooled rice, chopped onion, egg, salt and black pepper. Mix for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is smooth, then let it rest for 10 minutes.

For the sauce, dice the second onion and grate the carrot. Heat the oil in a deep skillet and sauté the onion and carrot for 5–7 minutes until softened.

Add the flour, stir and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, then gradually pour in water, whisking to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil.

With wet hands, shape the meat mixture into medium-sized balls and carefully place them into the simmering sauce in a single layer.

Cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. If needed, turn the meatballs once carefully, taking care not to break them.

Remove the bay leaf and serve the meatballs hot, spooned over with the tomato sauce.