Arancini are Italian stuffed rice balls that are typically filled with cheese, tomato sauce, and ground meat, and then fried until crispy. Here’s a recipe for making arancini at home:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup diced cooked ham
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the Arborio rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rice mixture with the chopped onion, diced ham, grated mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Using your hands, shape the mixture into 2-inch balls.
- Dip each ball in the beaten eggs, then roll it in the breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs to adhere.
- In a large, deep saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 350ยฐF. Carefully drop the rice balls into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the arancini from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve the arancini hot, garnished with fresh parsley or grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
