Rice balls or Arancini in Italian are a classic home style dish. Easy to make and there are many variations. Some put meat and peas in the middle, some like my recipe use a filling of just cheese.
Either way they are delicious !!
Ingredients;
1 cup Arborio rice, med grain Italian rice
3 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese + some for sprinkling
10 cubed pieces of mozzarella cheese
1/4 -1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 TBLS finely minced fresh parsley
2 cups fresh bread crumbs, toasted is best but if time doesn’t allow use store bought plain bread crumbs.
1 cup homemade tomato sauce, see my marinara sauce recipe or if you have to buy a jarred sauce
Olive oil for pan frying
Directions;
In a saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the rice and cook for 15-20 minutes. The rice should be a little firm. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
Lightly beat one of the eggs and add to the rice, along with the grated cheese, parsley, 2 TBLS of the tomato sauce, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. In another bowl, mix the mozzarella cheese with 2 TBLS tomato sauce.
With floured hands, divide the rice mixture into 8 or 10 portions and roll each portion into a ball the size of a small orange. Poke a hole into the center of each ball with your finger and insert 1 cube of the mozzarella -sauce mixture. Reshape and smooth the balls to enclose the filling.
In a shallow dish, beat the remaining 2 eggs. Spread the bread crumbs on a plate. Dip the balls into the eggs, turning to coat them well. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat them evenly. Then let them dry on a plate for about 45 minutes.
In heavy pan, heat the oil to about 375 or med high. Fry the balls until they are golden brown on all sides. Drain them on paper towels and serve immediately with a dollop of ricotta on the bottom and a spoonful of tomato sauce on the top, sprinkle with the grated cheese.