Italian Arancini
One of my favorite Italian comfort foods is Arancini! Arancini are fried balls of risotto that are made fresh and delicious—in Italy you can buy them at the counter at the grocer or even at the butcher. You can eat them as a snack or appetizer, and it's one of those impulse counter snack-buys that you can grab to nibble on the way home, or pass to your child if they're getting fussy while you run errands.
Equipment
- 2 Baking Sheets and Wire Racks
Ingredients
For the Risotto...
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced or chopped in a food processor
- 5 cloves garlic, finely diced or chopped in a food processor
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 8 oz white wine
- 40 oz chicken stock
- salt, to taste
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated plus rind
For the Filling...
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 onion, peeled & chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled & chopped
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- salt, to taste
- pepper , to taste
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup parmesan, grated
For the Breading...
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs, finely ground in food processor
For the Frying...
- 3 qt canola oil
Instructions
Risotto...
- Bring your chicken stock to a simmer and hold it there—keep a ladle close by. If you have a wedge of parmesan to use in later steps, now is the time to cut the rind off and throw it in the chicken stock. The more flavor you can get into the stock the better your risotto!
- Heat a medium-large pot over medium high heat. Add EVOO and onion, and sauté until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Season with salt.
- Add the garlic, season with salt again, and sauté an addition minute or 2.
- Add the arborio rice and toast until the opaque grains become translucent on the edges and just a spot of white remains in the center. You may need to add a little more EVOO at this point. It’s important that the rice is moved almost constantly during this process; I prefer a wooden spoon but a spatula works well too.
- Add the white wine and cook until completely absorbed. Begin ladling the hot chicken stock into the risotto pot. You can add 8-12oz at a time making sure that the liquid is completely absorbed by the rice before adding more liquid. Continue cooking and stirring until the risotto is completely cooked (about 30 minutes). If the risotto seems wet at this stage turn the heat down and cook some of the liquid out until it tightens up.
- Once the risotto is cooked, turn the heat off and add the cheese until combined.
- Cool the mixture down to room temp, and place in fridge until cold (about 30 minutes).
Bolognese...
- In a large and deep skillet/sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the beef and pork, and brown well on both sides (approximately 5 minutes). Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- Next, add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat (stirring often) until the onions are translucent (approximately 6 minutes).
- Now, add the wine. Scrape up all the browned bits in the pan, and turn up the heat to high. Stir continuously.
- When the wine is almost evaporated, add the can of crushed tomatoes to the pan. Turn the heat down to low, add the meat back in to the pan, and add the sliced basil. Give it a good stir, and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring every so often.
- Once the sauce has simmered, remove the saucepan from heat, and add the parmesan cheese, stirring to blend.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
Forming & Stuffing...
- Remove your risotto from the fridge, and form the risotto into balls.
- Dimple each ball with your thumb, and fill it with bolognese and carefully close each one.
Breading...
- In bowls, lay out (in this order): the flour, the eggs (beaten), and panko breadcrumbs (finely ground).
- Working with a separate fork for each bowl, move the ball around the flour, then transfer to the egg bowl, and finally the panko.
- Keep the finished balls on a wire rack. Once complete, let the breading mixture “dry” a bit on the rack to ensure a uniformly crispy exterior.
Frying...
- Heat the canola oil to 350º F.
- Once heated, drop the balls in very carefully with a dry slotted spoon. Make sure to leave enough space so they don’t touch. It’s important that the oil is at least half way up the ball so you don’t get weird “tan lines”, LOL.
- Once golden brown, flip the ball over.
- When the ball is totally golden brown, place on another rack, season with a little salt and let cool before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Italian Arancini
Amount Per Serving (1 Arancini)
Calories 5305
Calories from Fat 4662
% Daily Value*
Fat 518g797%
Saturated Fat 49g306%
Cholesterol 159mg53%
Sodium 1000mg43%
Potassium 838mg24%
Carbohydrates 122g41%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 43g86%
Vitamin A 3806IU76%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 420mg42%
Iron 9mg50%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!