LYDIA SCHIAVELLO
ARANCINI
My mother Lina’s Arancini are the best I have tasted, so I can’t take any credit for this recipe, but they are so delicious I wanted to share it with you.
INGREDIENTS
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2 cups of Arborio rice
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2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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1 brown onion, finely chopped
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2 boiled eggs
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1 cup of cooked peas
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1/2 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
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3 cups of fine dried bread crumbs
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1/4kg mince pork
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720ml tomato purée
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1 teaspoon sugar
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Extra light oil to deep fry
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Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
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4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
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Heat oil in a medium saucepan, sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until golden brown (approx. 4 minutes). Add pork mince to the saucepan and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the puréed tomatoes and sugar. Season the mixture with salt, pepper. Cook for 30-40 minutes then set aside to cool.
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Boil peas, once cooked set aside in a bowl to cool.
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Boil eggs until hard, remove shell, and slice then set aside in a bowl to cool.
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While the pork is cooking cook the rice until tender. Once cooked set aside without draining (as it needs to remain sticky). In a large bowl combine two heaped spoonfuls of the cooled pork mixture and rice, adding breadcrumbs if it's too wet to handle.
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Place cooked peas, mozzarella, eggs, pork mince in separate bowls.
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In the palm of your hands roll half a cup of rice mixture into a ball, make a well and stuff the middle with peas, mozzarella, sliced egg, and pork mixture, and shape into a pyramid shape.
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Gently roll each Arancini in the breadcrumbs and place on a tray.
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Pour extra light olive oil into a saucepan until one third full. Over a high heat (180 C) place Arancini 2 at a time into hot oil for 4-5 minutes, turning the Arancini throughout the cooking so they are evenly brown.
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Place on a paper towel to drain oil and serve hot.
