Recipe for arancini (breaded and fried risotto)
If you’re like me and hate food waste but love risotto, you’ll find this recipe ingenious. We often have risotto and usually have a little leftover. It’s not ideal to reheat the next day, but if you think in terms of arancini going forward, you have the solution here.
Put your leftover risotto in the fridge after your meal, and when it has cooled, use a spoon to shape it into small balls. They should go straight into the freezer, and you can choose to use them as a side dish for dinner, part of a tapas platter, or as a snack.
When freezing them, freeze them separately (so they’re not touching each other and don’t freeze together). This way, you can easily take the balls out of the freezer, bread them, and deep fry them directly from frozen the next time you want them.
Arancini (breaded and fried risotto)
Equipment
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Deep fryer
Ingredients
Arancini
- Risotto
- Wheat Flour
- Egg
- Grate
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Shape your leftover risotto into small balls. I typically use a long teaspoon or a smaller tablespoon for this. Put them in the freezer so they don't fall apart when cooked in the hot oil.
- Prepare three plates/bowls or containers with flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs/panko in each.
- First roll a ball in flour, then in the egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs/panko. If you have a large batch, you can actually freeze the extras or all of them without any problem.
- Fry them in a (deep fryer) pot at about 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 2-3 minutes. The risotto is cooked, so it's just about getting the breading crispy and the risotto warm. Don't fry too many at a time, as it will lower the oil temperature too much. I typically fry 5-6 at a time. Remove the balls from the pot and place them on absorbent paper.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.