Arancini Di Riso (chrm 1030 recipe 5)

My 5th recipe for my extra credit in Culinary Foundation is Arancini Di Riso. This dish is originated in Sicily. The name arancini derives from the food’s shape and color, which means orange. It is a rice coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. Usually it comes with mozarella, peas and meat sauce but there are hundred of ways to cook this dish. I didn’t put meat sauce and peas on mine. I put green olives, melted cream cheese and chopped onions.

As far as the cooking goes, it was easy. It took me a total of one hour, from cooking the risotto rice and deep frying the rice balls. This dish is good for appetizer. I recommend to deep it with ranch for more flavor.

4 cups boiled risotto rice,
1 roasted red pepper, diced,
1/3 cup sliced olives,
1 tbsp. “Italian Herbs” mix,
1/2 cup grated mozzarella,
1 large pinch garlic powder,
1 tbsp. chopped onion,
3 large eggs,
1/2 cup flour,
2 tbsp. softened cream cheese or goat cheese,
1 cup each, Italian and panko breadcrumbs,
salt to taste.

Mix all the ingredients, except the eggs breadcrumbs and flour, in a bowl and season to taste. Make golf-sized balls from the rice mixture. Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl. You can add some heavy cream to the eggs. This way the egg will be more sticky. Pour the flour and the breadcrumbs in two separate mixing bowls. Bread all arancini balls by dipping them in the flour first, then egg and breadcrumbs. Deep-fry the arancini until golden and crispy on the outside. I served the Arancini di Riso with roasted red pepper and garlic mayo for dipping.

This recipe is from chef maestro.