Fried Rice Balls
Arancini: crisp golden spheres hiding molten cheese and ragu, invented so that yesterday risotto could have a glorious second act. Cold leftover risotto is the shortcut and also the correct way.
- Total time
- 17 min
- Serves
- 2
- Effort
- Medium
What you need
Written for 2 — nudge the counter and the numbers follow.
0 of 8 in the basket.
How you make it
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan, no more than a third full, to 175C; a breadcrumb should sizzle briskly on contact.
With damp hands, flatten 3 tbsp of cold risotto in your palm, press a cube of mozzarella and half a teaspoon of ragu into the centre, and close the rice around it into a smooth ball. Repeat to make 8.
Roll each ball through the flour, then the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs, pressing so the coating is complete with no bare patches.
Fry 4 balls at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and hot all the way through, then drain on kitchen paper and salt immediately.
Let the oil return to 175C, fry the second batch, and rest them 3 minutes before biting, unless you enjoy burning the roof of your mouth on lava cheese.
Read all that and thought “absolutely not”?
Completely fair. Fried Rice Balls is sitting in the Italian kitchen right now, it costs nothing, and it will never arrive.
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