Rice - the day after O arroz do dia seguinte

I thought this recipe would be a good follow-up for the previous post: what to do with leftover rice.

It's a tasty alternative to simply reheating the leftover rice and it will leave you feeling like you ate something new: rice fritters.
Rice fritters is the name I came up with, because originally they are called "rice cakes" in Portuguese, but since I believe most English-speakers will think of the Japanese dish with that expression, I thought the new one would give a better idea of what it is.

You may serve this as a side or as a snack.

Rice Fritters/Bolinhos de arroz

- two cups leftover rice
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chives
- salt (optional) and pepper to taste
- enough vegetable oil to cover fritters

Pour rice in a bowl, leave it as is if you like crunchier fritters or mash it roughly with a fork if you prefer a softer texture.
Add egg, flour, cheese and chives and mix it well with a fork.
Add salt an pepper to taste.
I usually omit the salt, as the original rice was already cooked with salt and the Parmesan is also salty.

Make small rounds by scooping one tablespoon of the mixture and pressing another tablespoon on top of it to shape it.

Heat any vegetable oil in a pan in medium heat and add the dough, frying on both sides until golden. Remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in in a plate line with paper towel to remove excess oil.

Enjoy!