Baked Arancini di Riso {Baked Rice Balls} made with leftover Brown Ale Veggie Risotto. Crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside.
{This post is an oldie from my first blog, Life Food, and Beer. I'm not cooking with Beer like I once was, but I still love this recipe. To read more about my food philosophy now, click on the About Me page.}
Love at first bite
On a quiet street in Sorrento, I met a man that changed my life forever. The day started like many Thursdays in Italy: museums, churches, and history. Once we were released for the day, we hopped on a train to head south for the weekend. The quiet coastal city south of Naples, along the Amalfi Coast, would be our home for the next three days.
I sat on the un-air-conditioned train, looking at the Italy countryside and the Mediterranean as we made our way further south. I'm sure I spent most of my ride praying we didn't miss our connection in Naples. At the time, Naples was very unstable. From the streets lined with trash, I could see why!
Once off the train, we made our way to our hostel in record speed. When you're traveling with ten people, it takes a while to get anywhere. Once our bags were stowed away, we hit the streets in search of food.
We walked a few buildings down to a small pizzeria. There were a few small tables inside and a large food case full of pizza, pasta, and something I had not seen during my stay in Italy. Our group started placing orders when someone asked what the breaded round things were… Arancini di Riso, the man behind the counter, replied.
Someone in our group ordered the softball-size fried rice ball, and because I'm not one to pass up fried or rice anything, I ordered one as well.
I carefully took a bite of the enormous risotto ball, closed my eyes, and smiled. This wasn't a fried rice ball! This was the greatest thing ever to cross my lips. I thought about running behind the counter and hugging the man but decided against it.
I ordered more Arancini than anything else during our stay in Sorrento. Every night ended with a trip back to the pizzeria for more. After days spent walking around Pompeii and hiking up Mount Vesuvius, I felt I deserved them. Unfortunately, my time in Sorrento came to an end, and I dream of the day I can return to the city. I can't wait to sit overlooking the Mediterranean Ocean at sunset, sipping a glass of red wine, laughing with Huck, and enjoying everything I took for granted six years ago.
Until then, I'll have to make do with what I have here. I'm not sure I can compare this recipe to the Arancini I had that summer, but they're damn good none the less.
I'm sure any good Italian would ban me from ever returning to Italy once they found out these were made with Beer and {gulp} sushi rice! But the Beer does a great job helping hold the rice together.
Make-Ahead Arancini di Riso {Baked Rice Balls}
You can make these ahead of time and freeze them. I recommend placing the rice balls in a single layer, on a baking sheet, in the freeze, and breading them when you're ready to cook. I took these straight out of the freezer, rolled them in flour, eggs, then breadcrumbs, and placed on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil. To make the process a little easier, I used a Tupperware bowl filled with each ingredient {Flour, Egg, and Breadcrumbs}. Just add a few of the frozen rice balls at a time, closed the lid, and shake. If you're using fresh, do not shake the container too hard, or they will fall apart.
You can use the rice from the Brown Ale Veggie Risotto in this recipe 🙂 This recipe was made with Sam Adams Brown Ale, but any Brown Ale will work.
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Arancini di Riso with Brooklyn Brown Ale
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 22 Rice Balls 1x
Description
Baked Aracnini di Riso {Baked Rice Balls} made with leftover Brown Ale Veggie Risotto. Crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Leftover Risotto (See Recipe Below and subtract veggies)
- 1 Large Egg
- ¼ cup Breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese (Grated)
- ¼ cup Mozzarella (Shredded)
- ½ cup AP Flour
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 Large Egg
- Cooking Oil
- Garnish (Marinara Sauce, Parsley, Basil, Grated Parmesan Cheese etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil.
- If using cold, leftover, risotto, heat in the microwave until it is slightly warm and easier to stir. Combined Risotto, Egg, and Breadcrumbs together. Using a tablespoon, scoop out mixture and roll into ball form. Roll the each ball in flour, egg, and then breadcrumbs. Shake off excess after each step. Place on the baking sheet and lightly spray with more cooking oil.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, flip, and continue baking for an additional 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. {Frozen risotto balls will take longer per side, about 10-15 minutes}Serve with marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: rice balls, arancini
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