Baked Risotto Balls (Arancini)

 

Here's the second thing I did with the risotto from dinner the other night - Arancini (baked risotto balls). I've never made them before, but since we had lots of leftover risotto and I didn't just want to eat it cold standing in front of the fridge (like I've been known to do!) I thought I'd try to make arancini. I think they might usually be fried but since the risotto is already full of butter and cheese I wanted to give my arteries a little break, so searched for a baked version - and there are lots. I randomly picked this one and let me tell you - I kinda wish I didn't know about these now.... they. are. stellar. And topped with leftover tomato sauce from the pot roast? Sigh.

Here's the original recipe with my notes/changes in parentheses:

BAKED LEFTOVER RISOTTO BALLS (ARANCINI)

makes 12 balls. prep time 15 mins. cook time 10 mins.
(don't even ask about the calories. )

• 2 cups leftover risotto (click here for the recipe I used)
• 100 g mozzarella cut into 1 cm cubes (note: that's what the original recipe says. I do not know metric 'cause we are not taught that in school so I looked on a package of a big round fresh mozzarella ball and it happened to be roughly 200 grams so, because I did learn basic math and am not a dummy, I cut the ball in half and then cut it into 12 equal pieces)
• 1 cup home-made breadcrumbs (I used boxed panko crumbs, whatever)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 t. paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (note: I just used a hearty grind of italian seasoning instead of all the listed seasonings, add salt at your discretion)
• pinch black pepper 
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used white)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425' and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine breadcrumbs with the seasonings, salt and pepper.
3. Set up a 'dipping station' consisting of one shallow bowl of flour, one of the beaten eggs, and one of the breadcrumb mixture.
4. Take one heaped tablespoon of risotto and roll it into a ball. (note: I used my 2 T. cookie scoop and it was perfect). Push one piece of the cubed mozzarella into the rice ball, then fix it back into a round shape and continue with the rest of the risotto.
5. Roll each ball in the flour, shake off excess, roll in the egg, and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the paper lined baking tray, and continue with all the rice balls.
6. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the breadcrumbs are nice and crunchy, and the cheese is melted and gooey.
7. Serve with marinara (or leftover tomato sauce!) and enjoy.

                                

2021 update - I have no idea why this post looks like this! What's going on with that big gray box at the top that I can't erase or edit? I reposted this to clean it up, I'll leave this one on the blog in case the 2nd one doesn't work!