Arancini (Fried risotto balls)

Arancini are a traditional Sicilian street food, they get their name from their colour, arancini means little oranges. This recipe takes a bit of time, but is well worth the effort. Enjoy these delicious morsels as a snack, or part of a main meal. 

Place oil in a medium sized frying pan, heat to medium. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring 5min., until softened.  

Add rice to the pan, stir 1-2min., until semi-translucent.  Add salt, pepper, parsley, stock, tomato paste, and butter.  Mix well, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to the lowest setting. Simmer, covered, 15-20min., until rice is tender, and stock absorbed.

While rice is cooking, place stale bread into a food processor and blitz until you have fine breadcrumbs.  Measure 150g of crumbs. Place these into a bowl, and set aside.

Into another bowl, place milk alternative. 

Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper.

Once rice is tender and stock absorbed, turn off heat, and stir through parmesan.  Spread rice onto the prepared baking tray, and cool in a refrigerator, 15min.  

Place cooled rice into a medium sized mixing bowl, stir through FATE mix.

Form risotto mixture into 24 balls (Roll balls in the palm of your hands, using a heaped dessertspoon of mixture for each ball).

Place each ball into milk alternative, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all balls are coated in crumbs.

In a medium sized frying pan, heat oil (approx.,1.5cm deep), to 180°C., until it forms small bubbles but is not smoking. Fry balls, 6-8 at a time, turning regularly, (this is to stop crumbs  sticking to pan, and releasing risotto mixture), 4-5min. Place fried arancini on a paper towel lined plate.

Cool 5min, serve warm.