Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq. > wrote:

> Hmmmmmm.....The Larusse Gastronomique classifies them (rissoles) as a
> "pastry" a pastry dough of "many kinds" but usually a pull pastry filled
> with highly seasoned meat or meat/veg/sesonings mix, a "forcemeat" which
> is then deep fried.

Larousse Gastronomique has always been known for navel-gazing,
concentrating on French food and French definitions. Often enough, it
gets it wrong when it condescends to comment on "foreign" food.
Rissoles (variously spelt) are known far and wide.

As I posted before, other dictionaries tend to define the word
differently and some contradict themselves. For example, the Oxford
English Reference Dictionary (published by the OUP, just as the OED is)
defines rissoles as a meat dish, yet defines felafel as a rissole, too.

So, here, again, is an attempt at a definition, a unifying one, most of
it also posted befo A rissole is made of any minced ingredient(s)
(forcemeat) formed into a ball or patty-like form. It may or may not be
enclosed in a pastry shell or coated in breadcrumbs or flour. It is
usually deep-fried or pan-fried.

So, I would say that "rissole", as used out there in the world, is a
rather broad term, encompassing such foods as hamburger patties,
meatballs, croquettes, pasties, etc.

Victor