ARANCINI (ITALIAN RICE BALLS)

By á-32773

Ingredients

• Meat portion of arancini:
• 1/2 cup minced onion, celery and carrot (mix together)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef/veal mixture
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 4 ounces tomato paste
• 1/2 cup sweet peas
• Part Two: Rice portion arancini:
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound Arborio rice
• 46 ounces chicken broth
• 1 package saffron powder
• 3 ounces grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Part Three: ingredients for assembly of arancini:
• Mozzarella (1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• Breadcrumbs, for coating
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 40mins

Preparation

Step 1

Special equipment: a deep fryer with basket
1. For meat portion: Saute onion, celery and carrot with olive oil until translucent. Add ground beef/veal and season with salt and white pepper to taste. Once beef is added, with a wooden spoon, break down any chunks, the beef should be as fine as possible. Add tomato paste. Once the ground beef and tomato paste begin to simmer, turn down heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. If mixture begins to stick, add a touch of water. Add peas once cooked. Let cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

2. For rice portion: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add saffron to 1/4 cup of chicken broth and set aside. Add rice (stir until evenly coated with oil. Add half of chicken broth and saffron, stirring continually. Once broth has been absorbed, continue to add small increments of broth, still stirring continually. Once all the broth has been absorbed, add cheese and pepper, the rice should be tender but "Al Dente". Pour rice onto a baking sheet and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Rice should be able to form into a ball once cooled properly.

3. For assembly: Take handful of cooled rice, flatten while forming an indent in middle of the ball. Take a teaspoon or so of cooled meat mixture and mozzarella cube and place in the indentation of rice. Take another half of handful or so of rice and finish forming the rice ball. Once all rice balls are formed, dip each into water and flour mixture (combine 1 cup of flour and 1 1/4 cups of warm water with a pinch of salt and pepper), once evenly coated in flour mixture, coat in plain bread crumbs. In a deep-fryer, fry rice balls on medium to high heat until golden brown.

Hint: When forming the rice balls insure your hands are wet. It will prevent the rice balls from sticking to your hands.