Good Enough to Eat... Again! -- Arancini, AKA Deep Fried Risotto Goodness

Several months back, I had a terrific meal at a restaurant in Boston called Stella that started with arancini, fried risotto balls stuffed with cheese. I ate them perplexed, wondering how the risotto could hold together in a perfect ball while being deep fried. There's nothing more disappointing than deep frying something and having it come apart in the oil, just to go to waste, so I'd dreamed about the appetizer wistfully without really mustering the courage to take a stab at it myself. That is, until this weekend. After doing my due diligence and finding a few recipes that agreed upon a method, I made my first attempt, only to realize that the process is a whole lot easier than I'd thought.


Arancini, AKA Deep Fried Risotto Goodness
makes 10-12 balls

What You'll Need

1 packet of quick risotto mix*................$2.00
Anywhere between 1 tbsp and 1/3 cup parmesan, depending on your taste...........$1.50
Panko bread crumbs..............................$2.00
2 eggs......................................................$0.50
1 cup flour...............................................$0.50
1 stick string cheese................................$0.50
Oil for frying

Total Cost......................................$7.00
Total Cost Per Serving....................$2.33


What You Do

1. Follow the directions on the packet to make your risotto.
2. Add parmesan cheese, to taste, and stir until it's well combined. Cheese will not only boost the flavor, it will also act as a great binder to keep your arancini together.
3. Transfer the risotto into a container to cool in the fridge. The cooler the risotto, the easier it will bind into balls.
4. Set up the flour, eggs (whipped), and panko in three separate bowls, in that order. Cut the mozzarella stick into small chunks (about 1 cm square)
5. Use a heaping tablespoon to measure out how much risotto to use for each ball. Roll it up and then use your finger to make an indentation. Stick in a square of cheese and fill the rest of the indentation with more risotto.
6. Coat the ball with flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, and fry to golden perfection. Enjoy!



*Note: you can make your risotto from scratch, as I often do, but the mixes yeild just the right amount for an appetizer portion while cutting down on the time you spend stirring the pot. Plus, you don't have to spend $7 on a big container of Arborio rice!