Deep-Fried Rice Balls Cooking Recipe – Arancini Recipe
Arancini is Italian for “small oranges,” which is what these rice balls resemble when cooked.
Makes 10 arancini
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 7-10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz. (100 g) ground veal
- 1 ¾ oz. (50 g) caciocavallo, or other quick-melting cheese
- A few sprigs of parsley
- 1 stick celery
- ½ carrot
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pinch of saffron
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups (7 oz./200 g) flour
- 2 cups (4 oz./110 g) fresh bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon (20 g) butter
- Scant ½ cup (100 ml) white wine
- ⅓ cup (1 ¾ oz./50 g) peas
- 1 cup (7 oz./200 g) risotto rice (e.g. arborio)
- 2 ½ tablespoons (1 oz./25g) grated Parmesan
- Salt, pepper
- Sufficient quantity of oil for deep frying
Cooking Method
- Cut the caciocavallo cheese into small cubes.
- Wash the parsley, remove the stalks, and chop.
- Wash and peel the celery and carrot, then chop.
- Peel and chop the onion.
- Dilute the tomato paste with ¾ cup (200 ml) water.
- Infuse the saffron in a small quantity of water.
- Beat two of the eggs in a bowl and season lightly with salt.
- Prepare two more bowls: one containing the flour, the second containing the bread crumbs.
- Brown the ground veal in a skillet with the olive oil and butter.
- Add the chopped vegetables and cook until they become translucent. Deglaze with the wine.
- Add the peas, mix together, and then add the tomato paste and half of the chopped parsley; season with salt and pepper.
- Let cook, stirring from time to time.
- Cook the rice al dente (see the packet instructions: in general 14 to 16 minutes in boiling salted water), drain thoroughly, then place in a large bowl and allow to cool.
- Stir in the saffron infusion, the one remaining egg, the Parmesan, and the remaining chopped parsley.
- Have a bowl of water ready next to you.
- Wet your hands slightly, take a tablespoon of rice, and put it in the hollow of your palm.
- Shape it into a neat and compact ball.
- Create a small indentation to hold a teaspoon of the sauce and a cube of caciocavallo.
- Close up the indentation to re-form the ball, using a little extra rice if necessary.
- Roll it firmly between your hands to prevent it falling apart during the coating or frying process.
- Preheat the frying oil to 340°F/170°C.
- Roll each rice ball in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the bread crumbs.
- Deep-fry in the oil until they are a deep golden color, like an orange.
- Place them on paper towel to remove any excess oil before serving.
Suggested food/wine match
Calatrasi, Terre di Ginestra, Nero d’Avola—Sicily IGT
