Mozzarella arancini with tomato dip
Crisp Sicilian-style risotto balls with a melting mozzarella middle, served with a quick tomato dipping sauce. Make the risotto the day before and they're far easier to roll.
Ingredients
- 250 g Arborio rice
- 0.5 Onions, finely chopped
- 25 g Butter
- 1 Vegetable stock cubes, made up with 900ml boiling water
- 40 g Vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated (or Parmesan if no vegetarians)
- 125 g Mozzarella, cut into 12 small cubes
- 50 g Plain flour
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 120 g Breadcrumbs
- 800 ml Vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 300 g Passata
- 0.1 Garlic, crushed
- 10 ml Olive oil
- 1 g Dried oregano
- 3 g Salt
Method
- Soften the onion in the butter for 5 minutes, stir in the rice for a minute, then add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring, until the rice is tender and thick.
- Stir in the cheese, spread the risotto on a tray and leave until completely cold. Overnight in the fridge is best.
- With damp hands, take a golf-ball-sized lump of rice, flatten it, put a cube of mozzarella in the middle and close the rice round it. Make about 12.
- Roll each ball in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs. Chill for 15 minutes if you have time.
- Warm the garlic in the olive oil for a minute, add the passata, oregano and a pinch of salt and simmer until slightly thickened.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan to 170°C (a cube of bread browns in 40 seconds). Fry a few at a time until deep golden, about 4 minutes, then drain on kitchen paper. Keep the pan attended the whole time.
- Serve warm with the tomato dip on the side.