I love risotto, I love cheese, and of course anything fried. So its a no brainer that I love arancini. The other night I decided to make my own rice balls that were stuffed with blue cheese and some with parmesan & pesto. I also made a homemade marinara sauce to go along with them. Here it is-
Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce
1 can of Cento peeled tomatoes
Half of an onion, chopped
3 to 4 gloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of oregano
1/2 tablespoon of basil
1/2 tablespoon of onion powder
Rice Mixture
2 cups of cooked risotto (Cooled)
1/2 cup of Cento Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup of grated parmesan
1 egg, beaten
Blue Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Pesto
Vegetable Oil
Cast Iron skillet
1. Cook the arborio rice according to the package- or if you feel comfortable making your own rice, then do that. I tend to make my own, because when you cook according to the package, you do not always get the big flavors from garlic and white wine. (I posted a Risotto Recipe awhile back, look there for my recipe. Just don’t add any cream, butter or parmesan cheese once the rice is cooked).
2. Once the rice is cooked, put it into a large bowl and let it cool.
3. In the meantime, start the tomato sauce.
4. In a medium sauce pan on low heat, cook 3 to 4 gloves of chopped garlic and half a chopped onion. (You do not want to over cook the garlic and onions, just want them to be translucent).
5. After the garlic and onions are cooked, roughly 5 minutes, add in a can of Cento peeled tomatoes. Don’t be alarmed to see large chucks of tomatoes.
6. Let the tomatoes cook with the garlic and onions for 15 minutes.
7. Add in a tablespoon of oregano, 1/2 tablespoon of basil and 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder.
8. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes, so the sauce becomes smooth. (If you want it to be completely smooth, use a blender).
9. At this point the sauce is done, put the burner on the lowest setting to keep sauce warm while you make the rice balls
10. To the cooled rice, add in 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup of seasoned italian bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Mix it all together. Set aside.
11. Cut blue cheese into little chucks, as well as parmesan cheese.
12. Place a cup of bread crumbs on plate.
13. Grab a small amount of rice mixture (it will be very sticky, I found that when I put some bread crumbs in my palm and fingers, it made it easier to handle the mixture, or try wetting hands). Roll into a small ball, use finger to make a crater, place a chunk of either the blue cheese or parmesan cheese & pesto in divot.
14. Cover up cheese with the rice mixture and roll back into a ball. (Make sure to cover the cheese completely, or else it will melt out when you pan fry it). Roll in bread crumbs. Do this for the remaining mixture. I alternated between blue cheese and parmesan cheese & pesto, up to you what prefer.
15. Once all the rice rolled into balls, stuffed and dreged in bread crumbs place on a plate.
16. Heat an inch of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
17. Once oil is ready, place 4 to 5 rice balls in pan and cooked for 3 minutes on each side.
18. Take the fried arancini out of the oil and place on a paper towel. Cook the remaining rice balls.
19. Place a large spoonful of tomato sauce on a plate and place 4 arancini on top. Add a little more sauce on top, along with pesto and grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot!
Enjoy!
xoxo
myfortheloveoffood 