Risotto Croquettes (Arancini di Riso)

TV and Film star Debi Mazar (Entourage, Goodfellas) and her Tuscan husband Gabriele Corcos make real home-style Italian classics.

“Recycling is a very good habit, and it can be extremely pleasurable if applied wisely to your food! Learn how to work with your leftovers, use you freezer, your fridge, and a good set of tupperware; it will make your tomorrow easier. Lunch boxes, a meal on the run, or simply an evening that you cannot/dont want to be bothered with too much time to spend at the stove.
As promised we gang-shot an evening episode, turning last night risotto into delicious Croquettes.
Just in case you would like to try this recipe, but you do no have leftovers to recycle, simply cook 1 cup of white rice, let it cool off, then follow each step as if....Just keep in mind that you might want a bit more generous when it comes to adding salt and pepper. If you are working the left overs your risotto is already well seasoned, but if you are working with white rice well, its taste is...how to describe it....flat...”

Separate 1 egg yolk.

Chop the ham and the mozzarella in very small pieces.

Wash the Parsley and chop it fine.

In a big mixing bowl, pour the leftover risotto, the egg yolk, the Parmesan and the Mozzarella cheese, the Ham and the Parsley. Stir well, using a wooden spoon, until all the ingredients are well mixed together.

Wisk two eggs into a medium-small bowl.

Prepare a plate (or small bowl) with the flour and one with the breadcrumbs.

Roll, roll, roll your balls...

One by one, gently roll each ball into the flour, then dip it into the beaten eggs, and then roll it again into the breadcrumbs.

By doing this you will create a nice crust on the outside of the croquettes, it will help maintaining its round shape while cooking, but also it will keep the warmth inside for a while after they are cooked...

Heat up about 1 ½ cup of Canola oil in a non- stick pan.

Prepare two plates lining them with some paper towel, to dry the balls as they come out of the pan.

When the oil is ready start frying the croquettes; remember the order you put them into the pan...the first one into the oil, will be the first one to be turned over, and the first one to come out...keep it in mind!

The process is fairly quick, turn the croquettes a few times to make sure they are evenly cooked, and do not worry if some mozzarella cheese spills out...when it happens, if it happens, there is nothing you can do about it, and the dish wont get affected in any way.



Note -- Remember that you are cooking leftovers. The risotto is already cooked and seasoned, so really, the whole purpose of the croquette is to recycle it! As long as the balls are fried decently, you do not have to worry about "cooking time".



Buon Appetito

Debi and Gabriele