Okay not only are these really-really good (what could
possibly be wrong with fried risotto?!?) but you get a two-fer of a meal and
they are fun to say, especially if you can roll your -R’s. Are-en-chee-nee! I
think it means fried awesomeness in Italian. Sometimes I wish I know the person
who though…(insert your best cheesy Italian accent here) “OH! Eh! I gotta dis
risotto leftaover- mah whatta eye gunna due?” Shape it into balls, bread it and
fry it of course! Oh I left out – put a little piece of cheese in the center- Brilliant!
Okay as I said the two-fer here is brilliant. You’ll get a
night of creamy delicious risotto and then at a later date (or next day) you’ll
have these divine crispy, creamy, cheesy balls of amazing! The word Arancini
means little orange in Italian and the size is really up to you. A mini orange
size (or two) sitting in a shallow bowl of tomato sauce with a side salad is an
excellent lunch or dinner but smaller golf ball size make an awesome
hors-devours – with a bowl of tomato sauce for dipping.
In any case it starts with a simple risotto. In this recipe
the risotto is the most basic but you can change up the ‘peas’ for something
else to take it in another direction like mushrooms, you could also add roasted
corn and finely diced peppers or make it a meal and add shredded roasted
chicken or crisped pancetta.
Although I love panko for that crunchy crunch it gives to food– but not for this recipe. In fact, this is a great time to use up those extra-fine over processed store brand bread crumbs that you though would be convenient and just as good as Progresso but kind look like sand..What am I the only one?
A note about stirring risotto – this is what freaked me out
when I started making risotto. Everyone warning – ‘oh you have to cook and stir
until your arm falls off’ – truth be told I think it is one way that risotto
makers try to stay exclusive – conspiracy I know but you’ll see what I mean. Basically
you want to keep the mixture moving from time to time. Stirring develops the
starches in the dish and makes the risotto creamy. Think about boiled rice – no
stirring leave it alone and get separate grains – in risotto ‘stir’ and get
creamy deliciousness. Developing the starches will also make the arancini hold
together better and we’ll help it along by adding cheese! The Arborio rice is
also very starchy and why it works best in a risotto, most typical rice won’t
work.
Allowing the rice to go from swimming in liquid to moist is another thing to look for. You’ll know when to add the liquid – if you ever been to the beach and you see the bubble from the little clam holes when the tide rolls away that’s what you are looking for (see the pic).
Wine is an important part of the process. It not only adds
great flavor to the dish but the alcohol helps breakdown the other layer of the
rice and allows the liquid to better penetrate. The breakdown also helps
develop the creaminess.
Frying has really gotten a bad rap – okay okay it may not be
steaming but if you do it correctly you can cut down on the amount of fat that
is absorbed by the food. The key is to fry at 350 degrees. At this temperature
the outside of the food is sealed. The water in the food reaches a temperature that turns it into steam and it is forced out of the food and on its way cooks the food. 350 is the magic number. TIP: Get yourself a frying/candy thermometer like this one. In a small sauce pan on medium high heat - start heating the oil. As it heats up keep an eye on the temperature - adjusting the stove heat up or down to get to the magic 350. Make note of the position (if you are using gas) or number if you are using electric. From that point you should be able to use the same pot and the same amount of oil at that heat to get to 350 degrees - without a thermometer.
The proportions in the picture are for a bigger batch I made
but the recipe below will easily make 20-25 golf ball size or 10-12 small
orange/dinner size Arancini.
Anyway here goes…
Ingredients:
The proportions in the picture are for a bigger batch I made
but the recipe below will easily make 20-25 golf ball size or 10-12 small
orange/dinner size Arancini.
Risotto:
- 1 Cup Arborio Rice
- 4 Tbls Butter (2 at the beginning - 2 at the end)
- 2 Tbls Olive Oil
- 2 small Onions (or 1 medium)
- 2 cloves of Garlic
- ½ Cup White Wine
- 2-3 Cups Simmering Stock (Meat or Veg)
- 1 cup of grated cheese (Parmesan or Romano)
- ¼ cup fresh Parsley
- ½ cup peas (frozen work well)
- ½ lb of Asiago, Fontina or Mozzarella cut into ½ inch cubes (will vary depending on how many and how big you make the Arancini)
Coating and Frying:
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- 4 Eggs
- 4 Tbls of water
- 4 cups of regular plain or seasoned bread crumbs
Although I love panko for that crunchy crunch they give to
food– but not for this recipe. In fact, this is a great time to use up those
extra-fine over processed store brand bread crumbs that you though would be just as good as Progresso
but kind look like sand..What am I the only one?)
Prepare:
- Things are so much easier with this recipe if you are prepared to get everything ready to add.
- Add the Stock to a sauce pan, bring it to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic and set aside.
- Chop the Parley.
- Measure out wine and rice and set aside.
Steps:
- In a large frying pan over medium heat - add 2 Tbls butter and olive oil.
- When the foam of the butter starts to subside add the onions and cook until they are translucent about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
- Next add the Rice and stir to coat the grains with the oil and mix with the onion and garlic.
- Cook this way for about 2 minutes – careful not to toast the grains – so when (if) you see them browning - add the wine and STIR!
 |
| A Little Wine Makes the Rice Happy! |
- Once the wine is absorbed (don’t let it get dry just when you can start to see the bottom of the pan trail your spoon movements. Add enough liquid to just cover the rice and continue to stir.
- When that liquid is almost all absorbed (2-3 minutes) add more stock to cover the rice grains and stir to incorporate.
When you have about ½
cup of the liquid left – taste test the risotto for doneness.
The grains should
not be hard but instead they should give some resistance to your bite. If they
are still hard – add the last of the stock. Then add more hot water to the
sauce pan and heat it while you stir the risotto. That way the water will be
hot when you test it the next time.
- When the rice is the right texture (el dente: should give some resistance to your bite) pull the pan from the heat.
- Add the Peas and stir.
- Add the Grated Cheese and stir to incorporate.
- Add chopped Parsley.
- Add the last of the Butter and stir until melted.
Make Arancini
- Spread mixture on a baking sheet and allow it to cool – you can put it in the fridge for an hour or overnight.
- Scoop out a 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture and form a ball about the size of a golf ball.
- Roll the ball in the breadcrumbs, it will make it easier to work with, as the mixture will be sticky.
- Make a hole with your finger and add in a cheese cube.
- Close the hole, by pushing on the outside and rolling the ball in your plams.
- Roll the filled ball in the egg wash (4 eggs beaten with 4 Tbls water – little salt and pepper)
- Then back in the breadcrumbs one more time.
- Set aside on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet or tray.
- Continue until the mixture is finished.
- In a large pot add enough vegetable oil so that when you add the arancini they oil will b 1 ½ -2 inched over the top of the balls. Bring the oil to 350 degrees (if you don’t have one get a fry/candy thermometer- you will be glad you did) I like this one – it’s cheap and clip on the side of the pot so it’s easy to read.
- Add the balls 3-4 at a time to the oil
- When they are golden brown (2 -3 minutes), remove from oil and drain on a paper towel lined pan.
These are best enjoyed shortly after they are cooked. You can also make them ahead of time and then heat them for
8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven before serving.
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