Well, if like me, you’re planning on having a few over for food and want to serve up some interesting finger food; Arancini are the perfect and elegant bite for when people are standing around with drinks.
They are deep-fried rice balls made from saffron risotto rice with a mozzarella centre. You can also fill them with meat ragu or even anchovies – although not all your guests will appreciate it.
Even if you are not looking for party food ideas, the Saffron rice is a delicious main that will suit all tastes. Both recipes are by Giorgio Locatelli.
Saffron rice
Serves four as a main
Ingredients
- 2.5 litres good chicken stock
- 50g butter
- 1 onion, chopped very very finely
- 400g superfino carnaroli or risotto rice
- 125ml dry white wine
- 40 saffron threads
- 1 tsp tomato passata (optional)
For the mantecatura
- 75g cold butter, cut into small dice
- 100g finely grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring your pot of stock to the boil then turn down the heat to a bare simmer.
- Melt butter in a heavy-based pan, and add the chopped onion. Cook gently until softened, but not coloured (about 5 minutes).
- Add the rice and stir to coat it in the butter and toast the grains. Make sure they are all warm, then add the wine. Let it evaporate completely until the onion and rice are dry, then add the saffron. Start to add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring and scraping the rice in the pan as you do so. When each addition of stock has evaporated, add the next ladleful.
- Carry on cooking for 15-17 minutes, adding the stock continuously (if you like you can add a tsp of tomato passata for colour). After about 12-14 minutes, slow down the addition of stock so that the rice doesn’t become too wet and soupy. The risotto is ready when the grains are soft, but still al dente.
- For the mantecatecatura, with a wooden spoon, vigorously beat in the cold diced butter and finally the cheese, making sure you shake the pan energetically at the same time as you beat. Season to taste and serve.
Arancini
Makes 20 balls
Ingredients
- 1 portion of Saffron rice risotto
- 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella, cubed
- Handful of basil leaves
- 3 eggs, beaten
- Flour, for coating
- Breadcrumbs, for coating
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Take a small ball of the risotto in the palm of your hand (wet your palm first to stop the risotto from sticking) and make an indent, push in some cubes of mozzarella and a basil leaf, if you like, then close up your hand, so that the risotto encloses the filling in a ball. Smooth the surface so that there are no gaps in the risotto casing, then dip it first in some beaten egg, then in some flour, then back into the egg and finally into some breadcrumbs. Repeat until you have used up all the risotto.
- Deep-fry the arancini at 170C (not too many at at a time). Fry for at least 4-5 minutes, according to the size, stirring them around all the time so they are evenly toasted. To test that they cooked all the way through and hot in the centre, break one open. If you don’t want to cook them straight away , you can freeze them on a tray (keep them apart so they don’t stick together) and when they are firm, transfer them to a bag, then you can fry them (for at least 10-12 minutes) from frozen.