Arancini di Riso | Italian Rice Balls

Ingredients

• 3 cups, Arborio Rice 

• 2 teaspoons, thyme

• 7 cups chicken stock – 7 cups ( have about a quart ready in case  more is needed)

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped

• 300 grams, butter (unsalted)

• 2 cups, white wine 

• 2 large pinches, saffron threads (powder is okay, too – 2 teaspoons.)

• 1-1/2 cups, finely grated Parmesan Cheese 

• 300 grams, Fontina cheese (medium cubed)

• 1- 1/2, cups, peas (fresh or frozen) 

• flour, enough to coat all the rice balls

• egg wash, enough to coat the rice balls

•  4 cups, bread crumbs (plain only)

• Canola oil, for frying

Procedure

• Soak the saffron threads or powder in the wine.

• Bring the stock to a gentle boil.

• Melt the butter lightly in the pan over medium heat.

• Add onion and garlic, cook slowly for 5-7 minutes until translucent (no color)

• After 5-7 minutes add the rice to the pan and stir in well.

• Lower the flame on the stove and heat the rice gently

Tip – Be careful not to burn the rice, stir well and often until the rice is warm to the touch in all areas of the pan.

• Add the thyme and stir in well to release its perfume.

• Add the white wine all at once.

• Cookout the wine well! ( until almost completely evaporated )  

• Add the hot stock, one ladle at a time, constantly string to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pan using the standard risotto making methods.

Tip –   It is important to only add more stock after the precious about is almost totally absorbed. Stirring constantly is also important. This is what will help to create its creamy texture.

• Keep adding the stock and stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed. When the rice is a little harder than “al dente” remove it from the heat. This should take approximately 20 minutes.
• Off the heat stir in the  Parmesan cheese and butter. Incorporate it well and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.
• Now gently stir in the peas. The heat from the risotto will cook or defrost them.
• Pour the rice on and thin sheet tray lined with parchment paper. 
• Once cooled, the rice mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Tip – Use a wooden spoon when stirring your risotto. Metal spoons tend to break up the rice.

Shaping & Baking

• Remove risotto from the fridge, bring to room temperature (working with rice at room temperature prevents the partially-cooked rice from breaking into tiny pieces while working with it.)

• Take about 3 tablespoons of rice and roll it to form a ball in your hands. 

• Now, press a hole in the center of the ball and place a piece of Fontina cheese inside. Then close up re-forming the ball.

Breading procedure

• Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in three separate bowls. You can add a little salt and pepper to the flour to season it. If you do I suggest sifting it to make sure all the seasoning is dispursed equally.
• Proceed, using a standard breading procedure to coat the arancini.

• Add the Canola oil to a pan or to the pot you will fry in. (do not fry in olive oil)

Tip – Olive oil has a lower smoke point at high temperatures and this changes its taste.

•  Heat the oil to about 350°F – 360°F.

Tip – You can test this if you do not have a kitchen thermometer by cutting a cube of white bread or potato. If it turns golden brown within about a minute you can begin frying. Rember the rice balls must get hot all the way through. Therefore a gradual crisping up of the outside is better. This way the inside of your arancini will get hot and the delicious Fontina cheese will melt too.

• Serve with a fresh Pomodoro (tomato sauce)
• At the restaurant, we also decorate the place with a little pesto.
• Serve immediately while still hot!

Extra notes

1) Do not overcook the rice by any means. The first cooking of the Arborio rice should be a little harder than al dente. This will ensure that when you fry them in order to heat and crisp them up, the rice will still have a bite to it.

2) Arancini can freeze well once breaded and not yet cooked. Place them on a parchment-lined tray in a single layer tightly rapped. They last for up to a month like this. 

Buon Appetito!