Arancini is an Italian snack made of rice. These delicious risotto balls are filled with gooey mozzarella cheese. It is best served with feta cheese and olives. If you are not a fan of chutney, you can use salsa instead.

 

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

4 eggs

2 cups breadcrumbs

1 cup plain flour

100g mozzarella, cut into 1.5cm pieces

Vegetable oil for deep frying

1 cup of tomato chutney for serving

 

Pour the stock into a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring it to a boil. After, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

While letting the stock simmer, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Sauté the onions until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until they are fragrant. Put the rice in the pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until the grains are glossy and glazed in oil.

Pour in 1/2 a cup of stock into the pan. Stir continuously until the stock is absorbed by the rice. Repeat this process for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender but firm to the bite, yet it is creamy as well. Add the parmesan and mix well. Let it cool for 2-3 hours. After, add 2 eggs. Mix well.

Place the egg on a small bowl and whisk it for 1 minute. Next, put the flour in a bowl and the breadcrumbs on a plate.   With wet hands, get 2 tablespoons of rice and mold it into a ball. Use your thumbs to make an indent at the center of the ball. Put a piece of mozzarella at the center and mold the risotto into a ball.  Do the same for the remaining rice and mozzarella.

First, roll the risotto balls in flour and then dip it in egg before coating it in breadcrumbs. Put the balls on a plate or tray and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat some oil in deep saucepan or deep fryer. Test the heat by dropping some bread crumbs. It should float after 10 seconds and the crumbs should not be burnt. Fry the risotto balls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. If you are using a saucepan, turn the risotto balls occasionally, so that it will cook evenly. If the oil is too hot, turn off the heat and let the oil cool for 2-3 minutes. Do this in between batches as well.

Drain the excess oil from the risotto balls using paper towels or put them in a colander for a few minutes. Transfer the fried balls to a plate and serve with tomato chutney.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  Ewan-M