Ever had a bowl of left-over Risotto and wondered what to do with it? Well, wonder no more!! Arancini or Risotto balls are the perfect way to re-purpose your leftover risotto. This recipe totally transforms your Risotto into something so elegant, and would be perfect for date nights with your special someone. Besides re-using leftovers is a great way to avoid waste and save money. You also save a ton of money by cooking your own food rather than dining out, except on special occasions of course 😉😉. So let’s get right to it!
Arancini : Cheese-Stuffed Risotto Balls
This dish could be served as an entree or main dish.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pre-cooked/leftover Risotto (best if cold)
- Mozzarella Cheese cubes
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 large Egg
- Oil for frying
- Salt, Pepper & Paprika for Seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare your breading station. Lay out your risotto, cheese, egg, flour and breadcrumbs. Combine the plain and panko breadcrumbs in a bowl, and season with paprika, salt and black pepper.
- Wet your palms. Wet palms would keep the risotto from sticking to your palms.
- Stuff the Risotto balls. Using a spoon or ice-cream scoop, take a scoop of risotto and place on your palm. Place one cheese cube in the center and fold their risotto round the cheese, forming a ball by rolling the balls between both palms. See video for demonstration.
- Make your egg wash by thoroughly beating the egg. Dip the risotto ball in the egg wash, making sure to cover the entire ball.
- Dip or roll the risotto ball in flour to lightly cover the entire ball with flour.
- Coat the ball in the breadcrumb mix, at the same time forming and shaping the the ball into a nice round ball.
- Rest the balls. Place the breaded balls in a refrigerator and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the breading set so the balls maintain their shape during frying. (You can make a large batch and freeze to fry when you need to).
- Fry your balls. Heat up your oil to about 350 F in a deep fryer or frying pan. Deep fry your balls for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve and Enjoy! Serve your balls over some delicious tomato sauce, but you can still enjoy them without the sauce. Enjoy!!