Stracchino Arancini with Pomodoro Sauce
Stracchino gives these arancini a more gooey texture (queue the perfect cheese pull), and thyme adds peppery-sweet balance to this fried Italian staple.
Ingredients
POMODORO SAUCE
- 1 28- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
ARANCINI
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 8 ounces stracchino
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 4 cups canola oil
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 4 large eggs beaten
Instructions
POMODORO SAUCE
- Puree tomatoes and chili flakes in a blender until smooth.
- Warm olive oil in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add oregano and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add pureed tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Cook on low until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring often.
ARANCINI
- Warm olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and shallot and cook for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, or until slightly toasted. Add white wine, stirring often with a wooden spoon, and cook until evaporated. Add chicken stock 1⁄2 cup at a time. Wait until stock is almost completely absorbed into rice before adding more. Repeat until all stock is added.
- Remove from heat and stir in stracchino, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Pour rice mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into a thin, even layer. Place in refrigerator and chill for 1 hour, or until cold.
- Heat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat canola oil in a large pot to 350°F.
- Add flour, panko, and beaten eggs to separate small bowls.
- Divide rice mixture into 16 pieces and roll into balls. One ball at a time, toss in flour to coat. Gently pat to remove any excess. Transfer to eggs and evenly coat, then evenly coat with breadcrumbs.
- In batches, using a slotted spoon or wire basket, carefully lower balls into hot oil and fry for 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from fryer and place on prepared baking sheet. Store in warmed oven while frying remaining balls. Serve with hot Pomodoro Sauce.
Derek Bissonnette
A former chef who worked in bakeries and three Michelin-starred restaurants throughout America and Europe, Derek Bissonnette has switched gears and now documents his passion for creating food with his camera (One Cheese, Five Ways, p. 25). Derek is the author and photographer of six cookbooks and is currently working on his seventh. He combines his skills for recipe development, styling, and photography at his studio in Saco, Maine.
