Arancini – Delicious Leftovers
By Rachel Davies
I first learnt to make risotto with my Italian housemate Barbara, in a small Zambian village. The Italians who had previously lived in our house had left behind treats, sent out to them by friends and family – Italian biscuits, pasta, tomato sauce, anchovy paste, and risotto rice.
Barbara wanted to show me how her mother makes risotto, so we found a pumpkin in the market, made do without parmesan, and I learnt how to make lovely, creamy risottos the Italian way.
The best part was yet to come. For dinner the following night we made arancini – health conscious versions rather than the fried variety. We baked the leftover risotto after rolling them in breadcrumbs, and were left with divine, hot rice balls, different to the previous nights dinner, but just as delicious.
I now always make a little extra risotto for the following night. I try to fry food as little as possible, both for health reasons and because I don’t like to inhale reminders of ‘frying’ for weeks afterwards, so I always bake my arancini.
This recipe is very simple, and can be used for any kind of risotto. For a little decadence, tuck a bocconcini into each ball of rice for melted mozzarella gooey centres.
Baked Arancini
Ingredients
Leftover risotto
A small bowl of Panko breadcrumbs
Bocconcini (optional)
Olive oil
Salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll the risotto into small balls the size of golf balls. Having wet hands might help the rice not to stick. If using, tuck a small bocconcino into each ball and seal the rice around it.
Roll each ball in a bowl of panko breadcrumbs to coat the rice.
Put the arancini on a lined baking tray, and drizzle with a little olive oil and salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Turn occasionally to help the breadcrumbs crisp up.
Enjoy with a dressed salad and a cold glass of white wine. Ahh…
