Arancini with Spicy Italian Sausage stuffed with Mozzarella

Ingredients

6                            Italian Sausage

12 oz                     Arborio rice

4                            Shallot (finely diced)

4                            Clove garlic (finely minced)

4                           Red chilli (finely diced)

Small bunch            Flat parsley (chopped)

2 oz                       Butter

Pinch                      Salt

8 cups                    Chicken stock (a quality stock cube will work for this)

6 oz                       Parmesan (grated)

8 floz                     White wine

2 balls                    Mozzarella

For the crumb mix:

14 oz                      Panko bread crumbs

8oz                        Plain flour

Pinch                     Paprika

4                            Eggs

1 cup                      Milk

Instructions

The first thing you will need to do is make the risotto.

1. Heat the oil and half of the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent for about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes. The rice should start to crackle.
3. Remove the skin from the sausage and break it up into the hot rice and cook until the sausage has all been colored.
4. Turn up the heat and add the white wine – it should sizzle as it hits the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
5. Add the crushed garlic and chopped chilli, adding the garlic at a cooler stage in the cooking ensures the garlic doesn’t burn and ruin the dish.
6. Once the liquid has reduced, begin adding the hot stock a ladleful at a time over a medium heat, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, and stirring continuously.
7. The rice should always be moist but not swimming in liquid. The process of adding and stirring should take about 16-18 minutes.
8. Once the rice has been cooked add the grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and the toasted pine nuts.
9. Double check for seasoning and spread the rice out on a flat tray and allow to cool.
10. Take your mozzarella ball and cut into 1/8 inch cubes.
11. Once cold take a heaped tablespoonful of the mixture and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a ball about 2 inch in diameter.
12. Set aside on a plate while you roll the rest of the mixture.
13. Put the flour in a dish and mix in some seasoning. Put the breadcrumbs and eggs in 2 more separate dishes.
14. Take a rice ball and roll first in the flour, then in the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess crumbs and set aside on a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
15. Preheat a deep-fat fryer or pan of oil to 360°F. Gently lower the arancini into the pan in batches and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted or wire spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
16. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe is a classic Italian risotto, it has been left to cool and shaped into balls.

It is a fantastic way to use up leftover risotto, you can take out the sausage if you would like to keep it veggie.