Taste of Childhood: Cooking Lazy 'Hedgehogs' from Minced Meat with Rice in the Oven

This dish has some completely inexplicable property of appealing even to those who do not like cutlets in their pure form. Amazing, but true! Maybe it’s the amusing name, or perhaps it’s the addition of rice that makes the texture of the round cutlets more fluffy. We believe that the secret to the success of the hedgehogs made from minced meat with rice lies in the fact that they are baked in the oven, soaking up the delicious tomato sauce and acquiring an especially appetizing appearance and rich flavor.

Ingredients

• Minced meat 800 g

• Long-grain rice 150 g

• Onion 100 g

• Garlic 1 clove(s)

• Sour cream 20% (medium fat) 300 g

• Chicken egg 1 pc.

• Refined vegetable oil 3 tbsp.

• Tomato sauce 120 g

• Ground black pepper to taste

• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients for the hedgehogs. First, cook the rice. Pour it into a large bowl and rinse thoroughly, changing the water until it becomes clear.

Step 2

Transfer the rice to a pot. Pour in 350 ml of hot water. Add salt. Place on high heat and stir until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat. Cook the rice for 10 minutes, then drain in a sieve. Let it cool.

Step 3

Prepare the base for the hedgehogs. You can use either beef or pork mince, or combine both for a 'homemade' version. Transfer it to a large bowl.

Step 4

Peel the garlic. Pass it through a press directly into the bowl with the minced meat. Peel and chop the onion. Sauté it in half of the vegetable oil. Let it cool.

Step 5

Add the sautéed onion to the minced meat along with the rice. Crack in the egg. Add salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly. Leave it for 15 minutes in a cool place to stabilize the mince.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease the bottom of a baking dish with a diameter of 22–24 cm with the remaining vegetable oil. You can use a pot with a thick bottom.

Step 7

Prepare the sauce. To do this, mix the tomato sauce with the sour cream. Add 3 tablespoons of drinking water. Season with salt and pepper and stir. You can season with dried herbs to taste.

Step 8

Form small balls from the minced meat. To make it easier, periodically wet your hands with cold water: this way, the meat will not stick to your palms and fingers, and the balls will turn out smooth and neat.

Step 9

Transfer the formed hedgehogs to the baking dish. Pour the tomato-sour cream sauce over them. Cover with a sheet of foil and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.

Step 10

Open the oven. Carefully remove the foil from the dish. Bake for another 15 minutes: they should brown. Let them cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and serve.

By the way

• The mince for the hedgehogs is sometimes prepared with dry rice. In this case, it should also be rinsed thoroughly, then soaked in cold water for at least a couple of hours before mixing with the meat.

• The sauce for such hedgehogs can be made not only based on sour cream, as we suggest in the recipe, but also with cream of 20% fat. Those who prefer lighter options can use milk.