Greetings from Barga, Italy! For the past several weeks I have been serving at the Community’s outreach in Tuscany, and learning about Italian food in the process. During the holidays I made one of my most favorite Italian dishes: arancini. You would be hard pressed not to find comfort in these creamy risotto balls stuffed with cheese, aside from the fact they are also breaded and deep fried…mama mia.

As with most things I’ve encountered in Italy, this dish brings a centuries-long history to the table, dating back to 10th-century Sicily. While arancini has undergone some modern interpretation over the centuries, it remains a delicious treat. Buon appetito! 

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Arancini: The Ultimate Comfort Food

SERVINGS 6(30) arancini CHANGE SERVING SIZE (30) arancini

COOK TIME 30minutes

PREP TIME 15minutes

READY IN 45minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked risotto chilled and seasoned to your preference
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese cubed into 18 small pieces
• 2 cups seasoned Italian bread crumbs
• vegetable oil for frying
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 beaten eggs

Instructions

1. Fill a saucepan, crockpot or deep fryer with 4-5 inches of oil and heat to 350 degrees, regulating frequently with a thermometer if not using a crockpot or deep fryer appliance.
2. Form a ball of risotto no larger than a golf ball in your hand and press it flat on a piece of wax paper. Place a mozzarella cube in the center, and close the risotto around it. Reshape into a ball if needed and set aside and repeat with remaining risotto.
3. Once all the risotto has been formed, gently roll in flour, then egg and finally the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
4. Working in batches, gently drop risotto balls into the oil, frying until the outside becomes a light golden brown color. Remove from oil and place on a cooling rack to drain excess oil.
5. Serve warm or with a red or white sauce of your choosing.