Strictly speaking, rissoles ought to be made with finely minced meat, fish or poultry wrapped in thin shortcrust or puff pastry to form little turnovers, before being deep-fried. Or the pastry might be coated with egg and breadcrumbs or crushed vermicelli before frying. They should then be served hot, often to accompany cocktails.
Today, rissoles have become more informal; the pastry coating is usually omitted and egg and breadcrumbs used instead. They are larger and more likely to be served at lunch or family meals. Nevertheless, they remain a delicious way of stretching the budget.