Thursday, October 7, 2010

New Life for Last Night's Risotto--Arancine from Titina's Kitchen

Chef Titina's students enjoy themselves in her cooking classes.  The food is gourmet, the conversation is lively.  Students linger around the big Italian table and there are usually very few leftovers from the delicious 5 course meal everyone helps prepare.   But on those rare occasions when everything isn't eaten...Titina upcycles.

Like most great Italian cooks, she respects her ingredients and  never wastes them.  So last Monday night's risotto became Tuesday's lovely Arancine.  The name means "little oranges" and it perfectly describes  these golden-fried, stuffed rice balls from Sicily. 

"Stuff them with what you like," Titina says.  Ground beef and peas are very popular, also peas and mozzarella, or mozzarella and ham. 

The process is simple.  Titina doesn't use a recipe. 

First--she combines risotto with egg yoke.

Forms balls in her hand, around filling.  (Just hunks of buffalo mozzarella on Tuesday)

Dips in egg white

Rolls in bread crumbs

Fries in Olive Oil

Here's a link to a recipe on another blog that has some great pictures of the process: http://www.othersideoffifty.com/2009/10/risotto-balls-arancini.htm

And for Titina's Fall menus and classes click here--Let's Cook with Titina


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