Arancini - Italian Rice Balls

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry wine
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 40 g ham, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 100 g mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• plain flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten (extra)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil, for deep frying

Recipe

• 1 bring stock to boil in a medium pan. reduce the heat to low and keep hot.
• 2 heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add onion and garlic and cook stirring until onion is soft but not coloured. add rice and cook stirring through until rice is translucent (about 2 minutes). add the wine and stir through until liquid evaporated.
• 3 add about 1/3 cup of the hot stock, and stir over a low-medium heat until the liquid is absorbed. repeat until all the stock is used (about 25 minutes).
• 4 stir in the peas and ham and salt & pepper to taste. remove from heat and gently fold in parmesan cheese. transfer the risotto to a bowl and cool.
• 5 chop the mozzarella into 18 pieces.
• 6 stir the egg into the risotto. roll 2 level tablespoons of risotto into a ball; press a piece of mozzarella into the centre of each ball; roll to enclose. toss the balls in flour, shake away excess. dip into the combined extra egg and milk and coat in breadcrumbs. makes 18 balls.
• 7 heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan, deep ry the arancini in batches until they are browned and heated through.
• 8 drain on absorbent paper. serve hot.