As a little extra - we will put all the requests into a big bag and draw some great gifts at the end of the year for christmas - so what's to loose.
The first request is from Tone from Norway, who would like to know how to make Arancini di Riso.
These fried rice balls has been on our menu for almost 20 years - first in the restaurant in Copenhagen and now here in the Umbrian country side, where a lot of guests cook them during their cooking course.
Basically it's a great way to use leftover risotto from the day before - you can use any type of risotto. Arancini is the number 1 street food in Sicilia - and if you come to Rome we call then Suppli - slightly different shape, but they are more or less the same.
The arancini we posted on Instagram was made with left over Risi e Bisi - the classical Venetian risotto with peas and mint - so we will add the recipe for this as well.
Happy cooking and join us on Instagram - @ilghiottoneumbro
Risi e Bisi - classical Venetian risotto with peas and mint
Serves 6
50 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
300 g risotto rice
250 ml white wine
1 litre chicken stock
350 g fresh podded peas
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 handfull fresh mint
50 g parmesan, grated
lemon to taste
sea salt and black pepper
Melt half the butter in a large pan and saute the onion on medium to low heat for 15 minutes without taking any colour. In a seperate pan heat the stock and adjust the seasoning.
Mean while bring a small sauce pan with salted water to the boil. Blanch half the peas for a minute or so. Drain and transfer to the bowl of a small food processor, process with the olive oil and 3/4 of the mint to a paste. Season with salt and pepper. Set a side.
Once the onion is done, add the rice and stir to coat the rice in the buttery onion. Turn up the heat and pour in the wine. When the rice has absorbed most of the wine, you can start to add the warm stock a laddle at the time. You might not need all the stock.
It takes around 18 minutes to cook a risotto, when there is 3 minutes left, add the rest of the peas. The risotto is ready when the rice is creamy and al dente.
Chop the rest of the mint. Once the risotto is ready, remove the pan for the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan, pure and the chopped mint. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and a little lemon.
Your Risi e Bisi is now ready.
When you want to make arancini - then leave the risotto to cool completely - even overnight is great.
Then you need:
flour
a few eggs
bread crumbs
sun flower oil
Now take you cold risotto and shape into small balls - if you like you can even adda cube of mozzarella in the middle. Once all the risotto is used - set up the breading station. You need a bowl with flour, one with the eggs whisked together and one bowl with bread crumbs. Take each ball and turn in the flour, the in eggs before coating in the bread crumbs. Once all balls ae coated, you can cook them right away or even keep them in the fridge for a few hours.
When you are ready to fry them - heat some oil in a pan - we prefer to use a low sided pan - once the oil reaches 180c degrees fry the arancini until golden and crispy - you might wat to fry them in batches, so you don't overcrowd the pan.
Fried arancini can be keept warm in a 100c degrees hot oven until all are cooked and ready to serve.
Happy cooking and see you soon with yet another Insta recipe - it might just be your request.