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Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons shallots finely chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1½ cups chicken broth warm
- ½ cup tomato passata or canned crushed tomatoes, undrained
- ¼ cup parmigiano-reggiano grated + more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces mozzarella cold, cut into 10–12 cubes
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups italian breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and chopped shallots in a pan over medium heat until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
- Stir in arborio rice and toast for around 1 minute, stirring often.
- Incorporate tomato passata or crushed tomatoes, warm chicken broth, and seasonings into the mixture.
- Lower the heat and let it simmer until the rice becomes thick and sticky, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, mix in grated parmigiano-reggiano, then refrigerate the mixture until it cools.
- Once cooled, take a small handful of the risotto mixture, flatten it in your palm, and add a cube of mozzarella in the center. Shape it into an oval about the size of a large egg, ensuring the cheese is sealed within.
- Repeat the shaping process with the remaining risotto.
- Prepare a workstation with shallow dishes containing flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs.
- Roll each shaped rice ball in flour first, then dip into the egg, and finally coat with breadcrumbs, squeezing and shaping as necessary.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350-360 degrees F in a stock pot or Dutch oven.
- Fry the rice balls in batches for about 3 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown on all sides; drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Garnish with freshly grated or shaved parmigiano-reggiano and serve warm.
Notes
Ensure the risotto is cold enough for easy shaping before handling.
Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
These can be prepared ahead and fried just before serving for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rice ball
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 330mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 50mg