Italian Rice Balls
Italian Rice Balls "Pall'e Riso"/ "Arancini"
Leftovers are often circumstantial. In my cucina they are usually intentional. My family will never hesitate to bring a last minute guest with them knowing that I cook a bit extra for the hearty eaters in my life, as well as advanced planning for the delicious dishes created from leftovers. As a small child I would often stay with my grandparents, as both of my parents worked. My grandmother made use of every leftover. One of my favorites was when she would dress a pedestrian bologna sandwich on Italian bread with some chopped cold broccoli from last nights' dinner, drizzled with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper. Soo good! Just about everything in the refrigerator might make its' way into one of her Frittatas; veggies, potatoes, meats, etc.
Leftover risotto that makes its way to the fridge is a rarity in my kitchen. When one of those occasions happens, Arancini is on the menu. Of course, making risotto specifically to prepare these delicious rice balls is allowed and encouraged. As arborio medium grain rice makes great risotto, its' sticky property is perfect for Italian rice balls. Cooks hide many different surprises in their arancini. One of the more traditional ingredients is mozzarella cheese, however gorgonzola, mushrooms, sausage, meatballs, prosciutto and a sicilian favorite is small pieces of cooked meat with a spoonful of red sauce. Cooks choice.
Ingredients
4 dry measure cups cooked risotto - room temp.
2 dry measure cups flour
3 eggs beaten - room temp.
3 dry measure cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 cups Italian red sauce
Vegetable oil
Directions
You will need a baking sheet lined with wax paper, a large bowl filled with warm water,1/2 dry measure cup to divide the risotto evenly, 1/3 cup if you want more smaller rice balls and a heavy pot large enough to comfortably fit 2 to 3 rice balls at a time when frying.
To begin rolling the rice balls portion the risotto with the measure you selected for the size balls you desire. Wet your hands in the warm water and roll the rice ball in your palms. The wetness helps the ball hold together. If you are stuffing the arancini with mozzarella for example, make an indentation in the middle with your thumb and insert a 1/2 inch cube of cheese at this time. Then roll the arancini like you are making a snowball to enclose the cheese in the middle. Set this rolled ball on the wax paper tray and repeat the process for the rest of the risotto. Remember, it is important to keep your hands wet for this step.
Next, you are going to prepare the rice balls for frying. One at a time, gently roll the ball in the flour. Lightly coat the entire ball in flour and place in the beaten eggs, again coating the entire surface. Lift the ball out of the egg wash, letting the excess drip off, then place in the seasoned breadcrumbs, rolling gently and coating completely. Repeat the process until you have prepared all the arancini for frying. Wash and dry your hands completely and carefully repack any ball that needs to be firmed up. Put the ready to fry arancini tray in the fridge for 1/2 hour to set.
Heat the red sauce while you are frying the arancini. Pour enough oil into the frying pot to come a little more that 1/2 way up the rice ball. The amount of oil you will need, largely depends on the size of the pot. Remember, fry in batches of 2 or 3, leaving enough room to gently roll the ball with a slotted spoon. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F (use a deep fry thermometer). Once the oil reaches temp, lower the rice balls into the oil carefully with a slotted spoon. They should fry for 4 minutes or less, until they are golden all around. Roll them in the pot so that they cook evenly. As you complete frying each batch, remove with a slotted spoon one at a time, and place in a baking dish on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Serve with heated red sauce for dipping. This appetizer should feed 4 to 5 normal eaters or 2 to 3 people at my table!
