Arancini With Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Bocconcini

For me, Arancini are a superb party snack or meal starter.  These rice stuffed balls will certainly be a crowd pleaser.

This Arancini contains risotta rice balls stuffed with bocconcini cheese.  Mixed through the rice is a wonderful blend of sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese which melts perfectly to provide a creamy mouthful.  Finished with a fried golden breadcrumb outer layer and you have sensational crunch to each bite.

Please keep in mind that Arancini does take some time to make and it can also be a messy process as well.  It’s a lot quicker if you can have second person help with the process of creating the balls and dipping them in the egg and breadcrumbs.

By the end of the process you wonder why you spent the time to make them.  It only takes your first bite of a just fried Arancini ball to remind you that the process was worth every mouthful.  These Arancini and simply amazing.

If you wish, you can also create larger Arancini balls to turn this into more of a main course.

Print Recipe

Arancini With Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Bocconcini

Prep Time

35 minutes

Cook Time

50 minutes

Servings

Arancini Balls

Ingredients

• 1 litre Vegetable Stock 4 cups
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Brown Onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic crushed
• 1 cup Arborio Rice
• 100 g Sun-Dried Tomatoes finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
• 10 Cherry Bocconcini quartered
• 1/2 cup Plain Flour
• 3 Eggs lightly whisked or more eggs as required
• 1 cup Breadcrumbs or more breadcrumbs as required
• Vegetable Oil to deep fry

Prep Time 35 minutes Cook Time 50 minutes Servings Arancini Balls Ingredients 1 litre Vegetable Stock 4 cups 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Brown Onion finely chopped 2 cloves Garlic crushed 1 cup Arborio Rice 100 g Sun-Dried Tomatoes finely chopped 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated 10 Cherry Bocconcini quartered 1/2 cup Plain Flour 3 Eggs lightly whisked or more eggs as required 1 cup Breadcrumbs or more breadcrumbs as required Vegetable Oil to deep fry

Instructions

1. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and hold at gentle simmer.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
3. Cook onion and garlic, stirring for about 5 minutes or until onion softens.
4. Add rice and cook for about 2 minutes while stirring or until grains appear glassy.
5. Add 1/2 cup of stock and stir occasionally until absorbed.
6. Continue adding 1/2 cups of stock, stirring after each addition until liquid is absorbed. The process will take about 20 minutes.
7. Add in sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan and stir through. set aside to cool.
8. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll about 2 tbsp of 'risotto' rice mixture into a ball. Larger than a golf ball in size.
9. Make an indent in the centre and push 1 piece of bocconcini (quartered piece) into the centre. Use wet hands to enclose the filling.
10. Place on tray and repeat process until all the risotto mixture is used.
11. Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.
12. Dip each risotto ball in flour to lightly coat. Dip in egg, then in breadcrumbs and shake off excess. Repeat with egg and breadcrumbs to double coat. Place on a lined tray.
13. Add enough vegetable oil to a medium saucepan to a level to cover the arancini balls. Heat to 180°C over high heat.
14. When oil is ready, carefully cook arancini balls, in batches. Use slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
15. Serve when ready