Rice Balls Stuffed With Mozzarella Recipes

ARANCINI (RICE BALLS) WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.
• Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
• Form each arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.
• Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.
• Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining arancini.
• Serve the arancini warm with a side of warm marinara sauce.

RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot, pour in uncooked rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add saffron, if using and pour in wine until wine evaporates. Begin stirring in boiling water until rice is tender. Cook rice uncovered. Add salt and pepper, to taste. When rice is cooked take off heat, mix in cheese and 2 eggs. Place in refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours or overnight. Rice must be chilled.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat add oil, saute onions and the chopped garlic for 2 minutes, add in the beef and pork, and brown. Remove excess grease. Add in basil, tomato paste, tomato sauce , water, and sugar until it all becomes thick in texture. Add peas while still warm, take off heat and set aside. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Take 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture, place in hand and form a small cup.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon of the meat mixture to center of the rice cup, add 1 teaspoon of the rice over the meat mixture and roll in a ball. Roll the rice ball in the remaining eggs and then roll that into the bread crumbs. Heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Deep-fry rice balls until browned, place on a paper towel lined plate or dish.
• Before serving garnish with cheese and/or the extra sauce.

RICE BALLS STUFFED WITH MOZZARELLA AND BEEF (SUPPLì AL TELEFONO)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and add onion. Sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add beef and sauté until browned. Add tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add 2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add rice and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and rice has no crunch but is still firm, about 15 minutes. If pan becomes dry during cooking, add more broth as needed. Remove from heat and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano. Spread in a flat container or pan and allow to cool. Rice may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
• Once rice has cooled, roughly divide it into 12 to 14 mounds. Line up the flour, eggs and bread crumbs in three shallow bowls. Scoop about two-thirds of a mound of rice and hold it in your hand. Press a cube of mozzarella into middle, top with remaining third of mound, and shape rice around it to form a ball, making sure mozzarella is securely closed in center. Roll rice ball in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs; set aside.
• Fill a large skillet with about 1 inch of oil. Place over medium heat and allow to become very hot but not smoking. Add all the rice balls and allow to sit until golden brown underneath, 1 to 2 minutes, then turn to brown other sides. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

STUFFED RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Make the ragù (up to 3 days in advance)
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Crumble in the meat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the water given off by the meat is evaporated and the meat and onion begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Season the beef and onion lightly with salt. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper, and salt to taste. Adjust the heat to simmering and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes. If the sauce starts sticking to the pan at any time during cooking, stir in a few tablespoons of water. Stir in the peas and cook until they are very tender, about 10 minutes for frozen peas and 20 minutes for fresh peas. The finished ragù should be dense and reduced. Remove and cool to room temperature.
• While the ragù is cooling, make the rice
• Bring the stock or water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the rice, return the water to boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook the rice, uncovered, until al dente-tender but firm-about 12 minutes. Drain the rice and spread out on a tray to cool to room temperature. When the rice is cool, scrape it into a mixing bowl and beat in the 4 eggs and the grated cheese.
• Take a handful (about 1/3 cup) of the cooled rice mixture and shape it into a small ball in the palm of your hand. Make a well in the center of the ball and drop in 1 tablespoon of the ragù. Work the rice so that it completely encloses the ragù, and re-form the rice into a smooth ball. Continue forming arancine with the remaining rice and ragù.
• Whisk the 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Spread the flour on one plate and the bread crumbs on another, in an even layer.
• Dredge a few of the rice balls in flour to coat all sides. Tap off excess flour. Roll the rice balls in the beaten egg to coat, allowing any excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Finally, roll the rice balls in the bread crumbs, pressing lightly to coat evenly with the crumbs. Remove to a clean baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
• If you'd like to serve the rice balls hot, heat the oven to 200° F or to the lowest setting. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Pour the vegetable oil and olive oil into a deep skillet. Insert a deep-frying thermometer in the oil and heat the oil over medium heat to 375° F. (If you are working without a thermometer, test the temperature as directed below.) Once the oil reaches temperature, adjust the heat under the pot to maintain a steady temperature.
• If you're not working with a thermometer, test the temperature of the oil by dipping a rice ball in the oil. It should give off a lively but steady sizzle. If nothing happens, the oil isn't hot enough; if the oil around the bread-crumb coating boils and sputters, the oil is too hot. Adjust the heat accordingly.
• When the oil comes to temperature, carefully slip about a third of the rice balls into the oil. Fry, turning as necessary with tongs or a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet, keeping them hot in the oven if you like. Fry the remaining rice balls. The arancine can be served hot or at room temperature.