# Arancini

Arancini are deep-fried rice balls, typically filled with a ragu, cheese, or other ingredients.

- Total time: 7 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Baked Goods
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 5 cups chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 0.5 small, minced onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 2 small carrots
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 14 ounces water
- 1 small, peeled and diced eggplant
- 0.5 cup fresh basil
- 2 ounces grated ricotta salata
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 0 kosher salt
- 0 nutmeg
- 4 ounces chopped ham
- 4 ounces cubed low moisture mozzarella
- 0 vegetable oil
- 0 panko bread crumbs

## Instructions

1. Cook the risotto rice without stirring once it's covered
2. Spread the risotto on a baking sheet and cool it down, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight
3. For the pork ragu filling: sauté half a small minced onion, 2 ribs of celery, and a couple small carrots with 2 tablespoons of light olive oil until softened. Add 1 pound of ground pork, crumble and cook until no longer pink, then add 0.5 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, 1 bay leaf, and 3 tablespoons of tomato paste. Sauté for 1-3 minutes, then add a 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes + a can’s worth of water, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook for about an hour until reduced and thick
4. For the Alla Norma filling: sauté 1 small, peeled, and diced eggplant in 2 tablespoons of oil for 3-5 minutes until browned. Then add a 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, scraping up the fond, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced and no longer raw tasting (at least 20 minutes). Add the cooked eggplant, 0.5 cup of chopped fresh basil, and 2 ounces of grated ricotta salata. Mix until combined.
5. For the Albufera filling: make a roux with 3 tablespoons each of flour and butter. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of whole milk until fully incorporated, season with kosher salt and nutmeg.
6. Pass the Albufera filling through a fine-mesh sieve. Cool to room temperature and optionally refrigerate.
7. Shape the rice into balls (about 110 grams each), make a well, and add about 2 tablespoons of filling in each. Seal the balls. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
8. Breading: flour, egg wash, panko bread crumbs
9. Fry the Arancini in 350°F vegetable oil for 4-6 minutes, until deeply golden brown.

## Equipment

- knife
- cutting board
- pasta machine
- fork
- tongs
- grater
- wooden spoon
- spatula
- large pot
- lid
- baking sheet
- aluminum pan
- small bowl
- whisk

## Tips

- Use lighter chicken stock for less brown rice
- Don't stir the risotto after adding the rice and covering the pot
- Wet hands to prevent rice from sticking
- Set aside some rice to create an uninterrupted shell around the fillings
- Use a three-stage breading system: flour, egg, bread crumbs
- Don't overcrowd the pan while frying
- Adjust heat if the Arancini are too big or the oil is too hot
- If needed, finish the Arancini in the oven

## Source

- Original video: https://youtu.be/VChpbmhH9kk?si=pNUEMzx2rTWB7Th8
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/313e382c-65c7-41cf-b99f-56cd425887ec
- Extracted: 2025-02-23

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt