Recipe of the day: Flavourful arancini

Arancini are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried, and are a staple of Sicilian cuisine. 

They are often stuffed with risotto and some sort of cheese and served with a flavourful tomato sauce. 

The kind of fillings you would find inside arancini also differs from region to region in and around Italy but there is no denying that most, if not all, variations of arancini make for a delicious and memorable dish. 

Try flexing your culinary skills but whipping up a batch of these deep-fried cheesy balls.

Arancini ingredients

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying

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Method

To make the arancini filling, bring the broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

Combine the pine nuts, mozzarella, fontina and parsley in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then stir in the cooled rice, the parmesan and 2/3 cup breadcrumbs. Shape the mixture into sixteen 1 1/2-inch balls.

Put the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Press your finger into the center of each rice ball, insert 2 teaspoons of the mozzarella mixture, then pinch the rice around the filling to enclose. 

Roll the arancini balls in the breadcrumbs and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate, at least 1 hour or overnight. (If refrigerating overnight, roll in more breadcrumbs before frying.)

Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Working in batches, fry the arancini rice balls, turning, until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; season with salt.

The recipe was found on The Food Network.

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