ARANCINI

Arancini take a lot of time and care, but the end result is worth it! You can space these steps out over a few days if needed and the labor isn’t so intense. The reaction to these makes every moment of the prep worth it. They’re crispy, they’re cheesy, they’re salty, and pack a punch of herby flavor. 

This recipe makes 20-24 finished arancini depending on how big you roll them. 

FOR THE RISOTTO

1 cup Arborio Rice

2 cups Parmesan Stock

2 TBSP butter

FOR THE FILLING

2 oz shredded fontina

2 oz shredded mozzarella 

2 TBSP finely chopped herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, dealer’s choice!)

FOR FRYING

1-2 cups AP flour

3 eggs

1-2 cups fine panko bread crumbs (you can buy fine panko at some grocery stores, or put regular panko in the food processor and pulse until fine)

Start by making risotto. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add arborio rice and keep it moving so rice gets coated with butter and lightly toasted. Add parmesan stock and bring to a boil. Cover and set your heat to low, and cook until rice is cooked, but still just a little brothy, around 10-15 minutes. 

Pour rice out onto a lined sheet pan to cool.

For the filling, grate both cheeses and combine in a bowl with chopped herbs. Take a pinch of the mixture and press it together with your fingers, then roll into a tight ball in your hands, about a half inch in diameter. You should get 20-24 balls out of this amount. 

Once the risotto is cool, you can start forming. You should have enough risotto for 20-24 balls. If you want to get precise with it, we’ve had success with each containing 1 TSBP and 1 tsp of risotto. The risotto should be damp enough that it’s pliable and you can form a ball with it that sticks together. 

Form a ball in your hand, then make an indent with one finger and press the cheese and herb ball in, then gently roll the risotto back over so you have a uniform ball of risotto on the outside and cheese and herbs on the inside. Set them on a lined baking sheet or on a plate. It is helpful to put the finished balls back in the fridge or freezer to chill and set before breading, but it’s not totally necessary.

For breading, set up three bowls, on of AP flour, one of scrambled eggs, and one of fine panko. Coat the rice ball in egg, then flour, then egg, then panko, making sure you have full and even coverage. 

We store arancini in the freezer for a few months. You can go straight to the fryer, but cooking times will vary if the arancini have been frozen or not. 

We fry these in canola at 350 degrees. They usually take 5-8 minutes depending on how frozen they are. You are looking for a golden brown crispy exterior and melted cheese in the middle. A cake tester or similar to check for doneness is very helpful! Salt them right out of the fryer oil. If your exterior is fried to perfection and the interior is still cold, put them in a low oven for a few minutes to heat all the way through.

We serve these with vodka sauce or red sauce, herbs, and plenty of parmesan cheese!