If, like me, you hate food waste and love risotto, you'll find this recipe genius. We have risotto quite often and often have a little leftover. It's not ideal to reheat the next day, but if you think in terms of arancini from now on, you've got the solution here.
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.