These 3 Cheese Arancini {Rice Balls} were a staple in our home growing up. Perfectly cooked arborio rice mixed with 3 fabulous cheeses; mozzarella, ricotta & pecorino romano. They are then breaded and fried until golden brown and perfectly crisp.
Arancini require a handful of steps to make but they are all very simple steps that just take a little time. The arborio rice is cooked with water, garlic powder and butter until tender and all the water is absorbed. A couple tempered eggs are then stirred in along with fresh chopped parsley and the 3 cheeses. The mixture is scooped onto a lined baking sheet using a medium cookie or ice cream scoop. Pop into the refrigerator to cool, this makes them easy to handle. Once cooled they are rolled into balls and breaded with flour, egg then seasoned breadcrumbs. Deep fried until golden and crisp.
These are absolutely worth the time it takes to make them.The crisp breadcrumb coating then that cheesy flavorful arborio rice center… its wonderful! You can serve them as is or cut open and top with sauce and mozzarella, pop under a broiler to melt the cheese and enjoy!
Ingredients
4 cups water
1 ¾ cup arborio rice
2 tsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 eggs
¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
a handful of fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp salt
For the coating:
approx. ½ cup flour
2 eggs, whisked
approx ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs {I add just a bit of grated cheese & chopped parsley}
vegetable oil for frying
Preparation
1. Place the water, arborio rice, garlic powder and butter into a pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Cook and continue to stir until the water is all absorbed and the rice is tender.
3. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Add a small amount of the hot rice and stir. You want to slowly warm the eggs so they don’t scramble.
4. Stir the tempered eggs, pecorino, ricotta, mozzarella, salt and parsley.
5. Scoop the mixture, using a cookie/ice cream scoop, onto a lined baking sheet. Pop into the refrigerator for about 15 minutes until completely cooled.
6. Set up your breading ingredients. Roll each into a ball then coat in flour, then the egg and finally into the breadcrumb.
7. Place back onto the baking sheet and continue coating all the rice balls.
8. Get a pot ready, filled with about 3 inches of vegetable oil, over medium high heat. The oil is ready when you carefully drop a pinch of breadcrumbs into the oil and bubbles immediately form around them and they rise to the top.
9. Carefully add a few rice balls to the pot and cook until golden. It should take about 45 seconds to brown. Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
10. NOTE: Once the oil is cooled you can strain it out and save in a mason jar to use again.
