Arancini which resemble 'little oranges' — arancia means 'orange' in Italian and 'arancini' is the diminutive — are a Southern Italian specialty made with risotto that has been formed into little rice balls, coated with an egg wash, dusted in breadcrumbs and finally deep fried to a golden perfection. Aranacini are often filled with little nuggets of mozzarella, so that with the first bite, a gooey melted centre is exposed. A classic Italian snack, I was first introduced to Arancini while in Venice a few years ago. Having made a fabulous Lobster Risotto the other day, I had some leftovers and as they say, "When life throws you Risotto, make Arancini!"
Arancini Di Aragosta (Lobster Arancini)
Makes 12 croquettes
2 cups of leftover Risotto
2 oz mozzarella, cut into 1/8" cubes
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, whisked
vegetable oil
Form the risotto into bite size balls and with your little finger, poke a hole into the centre, stuff it with a small cube of mozzarella and reshape. Whisk an egg is a small bowl and set aside. Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl. Coat each risotto ball in the egg wash, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Heat some vegetable oil a saucepan over medium-high heat, and once a leftover piece of breadcrumb sizzles, the Arancini are ready to be fried. Using a small spatula or slotted spoon, roll the Arancini in the oil until they are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the oil as they're done, and dry on paper towel. Serve immediately with an ombra, or glass of wine, as they do in Venice!
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