Arancini - Italian Rice Balls

Being half Italian, I do like my Italian dishes. Arancini are little rice balls with ham, cheese and peas in the middle of them. You can actually make them with meat or prawns also in the middle, but this is the way I was taught to make them. I came across this recipe in an Australian Womans Weekly and it is very similar to the way I used to make them. Great to have as a light lunch with salad or as an appetiser.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 18 balls

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  onion, chopped finely
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 1⁄2 cup arborio rice
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1⁄2 cup  frozen peas
• 40  g ham, chopped finely
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 100  g mozzarella cheese
• 1  egg, lightly beaten
•  plain flour
• 1  egg, lightly beaten (extra)
• 1  tablespoon milk
• 1  cup  dry breadcrumbs
•  vegetable oil, for deep frying

Directions

1. Bring stock to boil in a medium pan. Reduce the heat to low and keep hot.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add onion and garlic and cook stirring until onion is soft but not coloured. Add rice and cook stirring through until rice is translucent (about 2 minutes). Add the wine and stir through until liquid evaporated.
3. Add about 1/3 cup of the hot stock, and stir over a low-medium heat until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until all the stock is used (about 25 minutes).
4. Stir in the peas and ham and salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat and gently fold in parmesan cheese. Transfer the risotto to a bowl and cool.
5. Chop the mozzarella into 18 pieces.
6. Stir the egg into the risotto. Roll 2 level tablespoons of risotto into a ball; press a piece of mozzarella into the centre of each ball; roll to enclose. Toss the balls in flour, shake away excess. Dip into the combined extra egg and milk and coat in breadcrumbs. Makes 18 balls.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan, deep ry the arancini in batches until they are browned and heated through.
8. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.