Not Quite Arancini Recipe
Arancini are small Italian rice croquettes traditionally from Sicily. Their name translates to mean little oranges, which is indicative of their shape, size, and color. They are usually filled with cheese, though centuries of experimentation have resulted in varieties with anything from meat to vegetables.
I’ve adapted the recipe from it’s traditional, heavy, deep-fried goodness into a whole-grain, health-packed kind of goodness. The recipe is now vegetarian.
What to buy:
Short grain Brown Rice, sometimes called Sweet Brown Rice, is used in brown-rice sushi and is sticky enough to use here.
Use a dry, unoaked white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
The arancini can be formed and chilled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to finish them, bread and bake them.
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 small white onion, minced
- 2 cups short grain brown rice
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 4 1/2 cups veggie broth, or non-chicken broth
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium dice
- 1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed (optional, but delicious
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (Can substitute peas for this and leave out the cheese)
- Olive oil in a spritzer
- 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups dry breadcrumbs
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently to coat each grain with olive oil, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook until almost completely evaporated. - Add broth, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until rice is completely tender and almost overcooked, not al dente (as for traditional risotto). Stir occasionally, and if rice starts becoming dry, add water.
- When rice is finished, stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and spread risotto on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside to cool.
- Place about 1/4 cup risotto in your palm and use it to enclose a piece of mozzarella, a basil leaf, and a cherry tomato. (Moisten hands and pack rice into tight spheres.) Place arancini on a tray and repeat. Cover in plastic and place in the refrigerator to chill, at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. (Other filling ideas: peas and cheese, roasted vegetables, roasted garlic, veggie ragu, etc.)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set up separate shallow containers with flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Working with one arancini at a time, roll in flour, egg wash, and finally breadcrumbs. Place a finished ball on the baking sheet. Repeat until all balls are breaded. (Use one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the egg wash.)
- Spritz the arancini with olive oil, then bake until golden. 6-10 minutes depending on your oven and the size of the arancini.
- Beverage pairing: Nino Franco Prosecco. “Creamy and crisp with a pop of acidity” is a phrase that can describe both the arancini and the wine, which is why they go so well together.
Member recipes are not tested by the CHOW food team.
