by carrie
Appetizer, Brunch, Buffet, Italian
Description
These are savory and delish and would present well as an appetizer or as a side. The recipe is an adaptation of an Italian dish called Arancine that is also similiar to the Roman suppli al telefono. The Arancine are served as snack food in bars and caffes all over Sicily. We are in love with our version that makes this a Blue Cheese lovers heaven.
Servings
6
Ingredients
2 cups of Plain Panko Breadcrumbs
1 cup of All-Purpose Flour
1 package (2 cups) of Arborio (Italian Style Rice)
I tablespoon of Butter
1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, 3 egg whites
A Wedge of Blue Cheese
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
Vegetable oil or light olive oil for deep frying
Preparation
Make the Arborio according to the package or box, let cool to medium tempeture
Next add the butter, 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk and the dissolved Bouillon Cubes to the Arborio and mix together
Add the Blue Cheese to the Arborio and mix again making sure it is distributed evenly
Get 3 bowls add the Flour to one, the Panko to one, and the 3 egg whites to the other
Moisten your hands with water and scoop the rice into your hand to form a ball
Roll the ball into the flour, and then in the egg whites to coat, then roll into the panko to cover the entire rice ball
Continue this until all of the rice is gone
Next, in a heavy sauce pan pour enoguh oil that will cover the rice balls by 1 inch once they are added
Heat the oil to the point where it sizzles when you drop a bit of the egg white in it
Gently lower the rice balls into the pan with a slotted spoon
Fry them all until they are golden brown and transfer to a paper towels to drain
organplay
The fritters look and sound wonderful, but the recipe leaves me in a quandary. What does “1 package of Arborio (Italian Style Rice)” mean? Sure, I know Arborio rice. I buy it in 5-10 pound sacks. Obviously, that’s not the size for this recipe. Perhaps, the off-hand listing of a simple “package of Arborio” suggests I should be buying my Arborio rice on the Rice-A-Roni shelf? Then there’s “2 Bouillon Cubes dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water.” My mind tells me chicken bouillon, but who am I to know? I know Ms. Pacini is a great cook, but this recipe does not begin to reach the standard I usually get from her. Thanks.
carrie
@organplay: Thanks for your comment and I am sorry for not being clear on the “package” reference. What I usually buy is an Italian brand that is in a package.
It comes out to be 2 cups of dry Arborio rice. As for the chicken stock. I use 2 cubes of Chicken Bouillon to flavor my Arborio. I’ve corrected in all above.
Carrie Tourond
Can these be made ahead and frozen? At what point would you freeze them?
carrie
@ Carrie Tourond: You can freeze them after you roll them in the panko or you can freeze them after you fry them and they cool.