Arancini a la Elena
As promised you will find my recipe for homemade Arancini below. They take some time to prepare, but are definitely worth it. They are crisp, cheesy, and rich. Fair warning, this recipe cooks many more than one person can eat in a single sitting! I cook 10-20 at a time and freeze the left overs. They keep well, and can be reheated in the over with all flavor in tact!
Great to make when you have time or are looking for a fun recipe to cook with others. For sure to have you and your guests coming back for more!
Prep Time:2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 10-16 balls
Ingredients:
1 cup of Arborio rice
3 cups of chicken stock (I use organic and flavor with salt or pepper to taste)
2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs (I have used my own whole wheat bread, and made these myself adding Italian seasoning for flavor)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Fontina cheese
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
Pepper and salt to taste
Optional: pancetta, pine nuts, peas, diced ham... anything your heart desires!
Vegetable and Olive Oil for frying
Directions:
Pour three cups of chicken stock into a large pot. Season to taste (I usually add a bit of pepper here). Bring stock to a boil.
Once boiling, add rice and reduce heat to simmer. Allow rice to cook fully, add a touch of water if necessary. *You want the rice to be cooked, but not mushy. Do not too much extra liquid. Taste regularly to ensure this does not happen.
When rice is cooked, lay out onto a baking sheet (you can use foil or parchment paper to make removal easier) and place in the refrigerator. Allow rice to cool completely, usually only takes 10-15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine mozzarella, fontina and parsley. Put aside for later.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add in Parmesan cheese to the eggs and mix well. **This is where you can also mix in any add-ins like cooked pancetta, pine nuts, or cooked peas.
Remove rice from the baking sheet and place in a large mixing bowl. I like to make a small well with the rice and pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of bread crumbs over entire mixture.
Knead the mixture (like you are making dough) until the contents are thoroughly mixed.
Place the remaining breadcrumbs (about a cup) into a bowl. Roll the rice into 1 - 2 inch balls (depending on how big and how many you want to make) and using two fingers make a hole in the center. Add a pinch of the mozzarella, fontina, parsley to the center of the ball and fold the rice around it. Roll back into a ball shape and roll in breadcrumbs until covered.
Place rice balls on a baking sheet. (I use the same one from before)
Cool rice balls in the refrigerator for 1 hour (or overnight!)
Cooking:
This next part can be done a few different ways. I like to use a 2:1 ratio of olive oil to vegetable oil. You can use a stove-top fryer if you have one (essentially a strainer you place inside a large pot of bubbling oil). Or...
If you are like me and do not have that, you have two options:
Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil. Heat oil slowly. When hot, place arancini in the oil. They will cook fast so make sure you are attentive and turning the balls in order to cook on all sides. This is the fastest way to cook, but also the easiest way to burn and get flattened arancini!
My preferred way: Add 2-3 cups of the oil to a pot (you want the rice balls to be about half covered by oil) Heat on medium heat until oil is "popping" Trust me you'll hear it. Using a slotted spoon, place arancini in the oil. You can add as many will fit and allow you to use a spoon to retrieve them. Allow the oil to boil around the arancini. Turn the balls once browned to allow for even cooking.
Remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
**If you do not want to fry in oil for so long. Use option 1 above, cook long enough just to brown the outside, and bake the rest of the way through. (375 for about 15 minutes should do, or until soft on the center)
Serve immediately with tomato sauce and vegetables or freeze to have a snack later!
Reheating:
Heat the over to 400 degrees. Place arancini on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes or until the center is soft (this means the cheese has melted in the center!)