Arancini di Riso

This Arancini di Riso is an ideal dish to serve at your New Year’s celebration. They are crunchy, warm and delicious, and believe me, they will be gone within seconds!

Whether you are entertaining or heading to a party this New Year’s Eve, this Arancini di Riso is sure to be a hit with your guests. New Year’s is a time for celebration, parties and appetizers…lots of appetizers! I will be serving my Arancini di Riso with a platter of Italian antipasti. These are best served right out of the deep fryer, but are almost as good prepared in advance and oven heated prior to serving. The dish is extremely versatile and for this reason, it is commonly found at both elegant Italian restaurants and at Italian street fairs. 

This past summer I was lucky enough to attended Vinalia, a wine and food festival in Guardia Sanframondi, Italy. During the festival, I indulged in many different types of Arancini di Riso that were being sold in the main square in town.  Some were made with ground beef, peas and tomatoes and others were made with cheese. Each had a style and flavor of its own. Mothers and grandmothers prepare them at home and then sell them at food stands during the fairs to demonstrate their culinary powers and bring home a little extra income.

In Italy, Arancini di Riso is made with bread crumbs but I prefer panko to plain breadcrumbs because it makes the dish lighter and crunchier.  The point here is that once you get familiar with the basic recipe, there are many options if you want to get creative.

Use only arborio rice for this dish.

If the mixture is overly moist, you can add an extra tablespoon of panko.

Place a piece of fontina cheese between equal amounts of mixture and form them into balls.

Serve the Arancini with your favorite marinara sauce or try mine.

I would like to say a big thank you to all of you who have supported me in 2017. Thanks for all the follows, likes, and comments. Your support and encouragement make this blog worthwhile!

May your New Year be filled with success, health, prosperity and happiness!

Print Recipe

Arancini di Riso

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time2 hrs

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 12 balls

Author: My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 shallots
• 4 Tablespoons butter divided
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 ounces fontina cheese cubed
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups japanese panko flour
• Oil for frying

Instructions

• In a saucepan hit up the chicken broth. Set aside and keep it on simmer.
• In another saucepan heat the butter, add the shallots and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice, cook stirring it for 1 minute. Add wine, stir and cook until absorbed. Add one ladle of broth at the time and cook stirring often, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more. Continue adding the broth until the rice is cooked, but still al dente, about 20 minutes.
• Take off heat. Add 2 Tbsp butter, the parmesan cheese and parsley. Taste the rice. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Let it cool and refrigerate. If the rice is chilled it will be easier to roll into balls.
• It's time to form the balls. Place some rice on the palm of your hand. Place a piece of the fontina cheese between equal amounts of mixture and form them into balls. Continue forming balls until all the rice mixture is used.
• Set 3 plates side by side. Beat 2 eggs in a plate to blend. Place flour in another onel. Place panko in another one.
• Roll the arancini balls in flour shaking off the excess. Then roll them in the beaten egg. Then roll them in the panko.
• Fry balls in 3 inch oil at 375 degrees for 4 1/2 minutes or until they are golden brown. Drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Serve them plain, or with marinara sauce on the side.
• If you would like to serve them at a later time, just before serving, place them on a baking sheet and re-heat in the oven at 400 degrees F for 7 to 10 minutes.
• Note: (If you are able to make the risotto the day before, this will work in your favor as it can be refrigerated and the balls will stick together much easier that way).
• Enjoy!