Italian Rice Balls

Arancini di Riso, or Italian golden orbs, or simply Italian rice balls, is a delightful dish that is special in Italy. The entire world knows the flavor of authentic Italian cuisine and Italian rice balls is one such example. The preparation method is very simple and the scrumptious rice balls are utterly tempting. Rice balls, as the name suggests, is prepared from boiled rice along with a lot of filling and a thick coat of bread and egg. The golden brown rice balls are savored hot with toppings, salads, wine and a variety of side dishes.

If you are wondering on how to make Italian rice balls, then the recipes explained below will help you out. The rice balls serve as delightful snacks, served with hot beverages like coffee and tea. It can also be enjoyed with dips, sauces and salsa. Enjoy the taste of Italian food with rice balls served on your plate.

Recipe 1

Ingredients

• Uncooked brown rice, 1⅓ cups
• Water, 3¾ cups
• Basil, chopped, ¼ cup
• Garlic, cloves, 2
• Mozzarella cheese, diced, 4 ounces
• Bread crumbs, dry, 1 cup
• Prosciutto, sliced, 4 ounces
• Vegetable oil, 3 cups
• Bay leaf, 1
• Egg whites, 5
• Salt, ¼ tsps
• Parmesan cheese, grated, 3 tsps

Preparation

• Cook rice in boiling water and add bay leaf, salt and garlic cloves to it. Simmer for half an hour and then strain. Separate the bay leaves and garlic.
• Prepare the cheese stuffing by blending mozzarella cheese with prosciutto and basil. Add 2 tsps of olive oil from top.
• Pour egg white on rice and mix it with Parmesan cheese. Mix it well and then add the cheese-basil mixture to rice.
• Add vegetable oil in a deep-frying pan. Heat the oil. In the meantime, make the rice balls and the coating of it.
• Beat the remaining egg whites in a bowl. Make rice balls and dip in it. Coat the balls with the moistened bread crumbs.
• Fry the rice balls in hot oil till they turn golden brown. Keep the heat low for deep-frying effect.
• Serve hot with cucumber onion salad, salsa or sauce.

Recipe 2

Ingredients

For the Filling

• Pecorino cheese, 100 g
• Bolognese sauce, 150 g
• Green peas, 50 g
• Parsley, chopped, 2 tsps
• Onion, finely chopped, 1
• Olive oil, 2 tsps
• Salt, 1 tsp
• Ground beef 100 g

For the Rice Balls

• Originario rice, 500 g
• Breadcrumbs, 150 g
• Frying oil, 3 cups
• Butter, 50 g
• Eggs, 4
• Pecorino cheese, 60 g
• Salt, 1/4th tsp

Preparation

• Boil rice with salt in water for at least 15 minutes and then drain the water completely.
• Let the rice cool and then add pecorino cheese, butter and egg white to form a smooth composition. Leave it aside and start making the filling.
• Fry the slices of beef, green peas and onion along with bolognese sauce. Make a paste with olive oil, parsley and Pecorino cheese. Add salt to the filling.
• Now form round pocket like structures with a certain quantity of rice mix. Add the filling in the center and roll it to make balls.
• Coat the balls with egg white and bread crumbs and then deep-fry in vegetable oil on a frying pan or skillet.
• Wrap the balls with paper towels to soak the oil. Serve hot with your favorite toppings and a glass of red wine.

Recipe 3

Ingredients

• Breadcrumbs, dried, 1½ cups
• Mozzarella cheese, ½ cup
• Ground black pepper, ¼ tsp
• Dried parsley, 1
• Dried basil, 1 tsp
• White rice, 1 cup
• Parmesan cheese, ⅓ cup
• Eggs, 2
• Chicken broth, 2¼ cups
• Water, 2¼ cups
• Vegetable oil, 2 cups
• Olive oil, 2 cups
• Salt, 1½ tsp

Preparation

• Whisk eggs in a container and add parsley, basil, pepper, salt and Parmesan cheese to it. Refrigerate the mixture while the rice is cooking.
• Add chicken broth in a cooker, add salt and cook the rice for 20 minutes. Drain the extra broth after rice gets boiled.
• Mix egg white with cooked rice and allow it to cool in a refrigerator for 10 minutes.
• Dampen the bread crumbs slightly. Make rice balls and insert a slice of mozzarella cheese in the center. Coat them with bread crumbs.
• Heat vegetable oil in a frying skillet and deep-fry the balls till they turn dark brown.
• You can top with grated onion, coriander and dip in marinara sauce.

I hope you have liked the recipes for Italian rice balls elaborated in the aforementioned content. It's a simple menu and easy to make. You can improvise the taste by experimenting with the ingredients to get a new flavor every time.