Arancini
An INCREDIBLE Italian 1st course, cheese stuffed risotto fried to a perfect golden delight!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 small white or yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 6 tbsp butter
- 3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 3 oz ball mozzarella cheese, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup italian breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- Cooking oil
- fresh basil for garnish optional
- 1/4 cup shredded/grated pecorino Reggiano or parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
- basil oil or olive oil for drizzling on top
Instructions
- Heat a medium size saucepan or deep skillet on medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Saute the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent. About 5 minutes.
- Add the 1 cup of rice. Stir often and cook about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook it down until almost dry.
- Now add the broth. Cook about 10- 15 minutes or until the liquid is almost dry.
- Now add the cream, 2 tablespoons of butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir and remove from the heat.
- Pour the risotto on a large piece of parchment paper. Make a nice even layer and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Once the hour is up, scrape the risotto onto a cutting board.
- Now get the mozzarella ready.
- Working with about 1/4 cup of risotto form it into a ball. Then put about 3 pieces of bite size mozzarella in the middle.
- Re-form the risotto around the rice and shape it into a ball. Try to get them as uniform as possible with the cheese in the middle.
- After all the balls are ready pour the flour into a shallow dredging bowl. Take the panko and put them into a sandwich bag, run a rolling pin over it a few times to smash up the breading. Then go ahead and pour the italian breadcrumbs and pankos into another shallow dredging bowl and mix together. Lastly is the eggs. Whisk the eggs, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste in a 3rd shallow dredging bowl.
- Starting with flour, roll the ball until coated, followed by the egg mixture, and ending in the breadcrumbs.
- Gently pack or press the breadcrumbs into the risotto.
- Heat a fryer, large sauce pan or whatever you use to fry food in on med heat and add the cooking oil
- Once the oil is ready drop the balls in carefully and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels
- Serve with marinara, pesto, alfredo , basil oil, or whatever is the crowd favorite ! I like to shave some pecorino Reggiano or Parmesan cheese on top and a drizzle of olive or basil oil.
- ENJOY!!!
