Arancini di Riso
Arancini di Riso
Sounds exotic and flavorful doesn't it? It loosely means fried rice balls. The name comes from the Italian word for orange (arancia) which is roughly the color and shape of these delicious goodies. (Thank you Wikipedia) Well you won't be disappointed in this recipe. Who doesn't like creamy risotto? And who doesn't like creamy risotto with bacon and parmesan cheese? And who wouldn't like all of that wrapped around a piece of mozzarella cheese and then deep fried? I tell you people, there aren't many of them out there, if any.
This is a great appetizer for your next party. The risotto can be leftovers from the night before or made fresh the day you need it. Take that and mix it with simple ingredients and before you know it you are devouring enjoying these delicious morsels one right after the other.
And just in case you didn't already know it, Risotto is made from Arborio rice. It's an Italian-style rice. Don't do what I did the first time and go looking for Risotto rice. Duh!
I adapted this recipe from Giada De Laurentis. Her's uses mushroom and pea risotto but I decided bacon and onion sounded better to me. I think these would be great served with an aioli dip. I might try that next time.
Right now I've got chickens outta their pen and kids chasing them in a battery powered jeep.
Till next time...
Creamy Bacon Risotto
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a saute pan with olive oil. Add the onion and cook till softened. Add the bacon and rice,stir to coat the rice then cook for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Continue cooking, stirring often until all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until all liquid is aborbed before adding the next cup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow rice to cool for Arancini di Riso.
Arancini di Riso
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
4 large eggs, beaten slightly
4 cups Creamy Bacon Risotto
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 cups dried Italian-style bread crumbs
2 oz mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used the pre-made balls found in the deli section of my grocery store)
Salt
Pour the oil into a deep heavy saucepan to the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees.
Combine eggs, risotto, parmesan and 1 cup bread crumbs in a large bowl. Place the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow dish and set aside. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture, flatten and place a piece of mozzarella in the center. Wrap the risotto around and enclose the cheese. Roll the ball in the bread crumbs and set on a pan till the rest are completed.
Working in batches, add the rice balls to the oil and cook, turning as necessary, until they are brown and heated through, approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate and allow to drain. Season immediately with salt.
Let them rest and cool for a few minutes before you taste, lest your ravage the inside of your mouth with piping hot melted cheese!
Serve with ranch dressing, aioli or just eat them plain.
Enjoy! And share with someone you love.
If you can bring yourself to!