Here’s a great use for any kind of left over rice!
As long as it’s not plain rice and is left over from either a risotto or some kind of flavoured rice (mine was left-over chicken, chorizo and prawn rice. Highly flavoured and ideal for turning into aranci (Italian for ‘oranges’ and you can see why in the finished dish) The more subtly flavoured the rice, the more subtle the arancini.
If you want to add flavour to the arancini, for instance if your rice is a little on the plain side, you can stuff the arancini with left-over ragu sauce, if you have some in the freezer, or with little cubes of mozzarella, or indeed, both.
 |
| Left-over rice |
First of all form the cold rice into large walnut sized balls:
If you are going to stuff the arancini, then make sure the filling is properly enclosed.
It’s not as fiddly a job as it looks really, as the cold rice will hold itself together really well.
Coat the arancini, first in egg, which has been thinned down with a little water so it’s not too thick and ‘eggy’ for want of a better word, then in breadcrumbs, the staler the better, shop-bought will do.
Deep fry on a medium heat, so that they have a chance to cook through and ensure the cold rice is piping hot, before they become wonderfully golden.
How can anything coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried not taste great, right?
Before I go, I want to wish you all a wonderful Sunday and show you Nigella’s old-fashioned cheesecake from her latest book ‘Kitchen’.
I love baked cheesecake, but don’t feel that I can recommend this one, it was neither sweet enough, lemony enough, or tasty enough. Mediocre is the only word I can think of to describe it.
A shame, but there you go. Not everything is worth making again, right?
At Anna’s Kitchen Table 
oh that is a fun way to use old rice
LikeLike
look absolutely yumm!! gloria
LikeLike
Oh that looks really good Anna! I think I would make a little extra rice so I would have enough leftovers to make little beauties! Love the idea of stuffing them with mozzarella..yum!That's a real pity about the cheesecake..Have you ever tried Nigella's London cheesecake from HTBADG? That is lovely xx
LikeLike
Mouth watering alert! You know little treats like this are far too easy to scoff quickly and then I end up with a belly ache…lol but I'd still be smiling;)Have to go and look at the recipe in Kitchen. Such a pity though. Mind you if the strike rate for Nigella's recipes is anything to go by, it should be a long time before another miss with any luck:D
LikeLike
Great use of leftover rice… with a glass of wine, those cheesy rice balls would make a great dinner for me.Cheesecake, mediocre though, looks beautifully golden and crack-free.
LikeLike
Fried rice balls!!! I love them 🙂
LikeLike
disappointing the cheesecake was not amazing, i'll have to look at the recipe. i have never tried aracini balls, looks delish.
LikeLike
Rice balls are my favorite!!! Looks so good, Anna!
LikeLike
Ooh I adore arancini balls! Especially as you say how can anything coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried not taste great!? 😛
LikeLike
OMG! They look amazing. Totally puts my dinner of cheese on toast to shame ;0(
LikeLike
The arancani look amazing – my mouth is watering and I've just finished dinner!!!!Pity about the cheesecake, but thanks for the heads up – I'll take it of my "to bake" list.
LikeLike
Those rice balls look amazing. I honestly think you would be amazed (or maybe disgusted) by how many I could eat given the chance!
LikeLike
Mmmmmm….every time I see a post on these lovely arancini, I copy it to make. But I still haven't gotten to them. Yours look fabulous….and I've got that urge again 🙂
LikeLike
Ooooh.. this is a great idea!! Can't wait to try it… we love rice and there are always leftovers!!
LikeLike
A great dish and dessert! Both must be delicious.Cheers,Rosa
LikeLike
that's a really cute way to use up leftover rice! you probably need to use quite sticky leftover rice though don't you? will say, a basmati rice pilaf work? anyway thanks for the heads up on the cheesecake, so I know I can skip that nigella recipe when I want cheesecake.
LikeLike
Nice recipe I love these little munchies. Thought of you as I saw the Cox, Cookies and Cakes shop in london this weekend. Made for an interesting window display!
LikeLike
This looks delish Anna – Great idea. Thanks for your lovely message on my blog, it's good to be back! Hope you are well and happy 🙂 Lucie xXx
LikeLike
Hi Anna,I've tagged you on my blog! Hope you join in! http://inmylife-paola.blogspot.com/2011/08/trip-down-blog-memory-lane.htmlxx
LikeLike
I've been meaning to make arancini for ages – yours look divine. Such a treat and very inspiring.
LikeLike
I agree this is the best way to use leftover rice. I've never heard of arancini before but we also make ryzokeftedes in Greece.
LikeLike
Anna, these are fabulous. I'm such a fan of the rizzo ball. Mmmmmmm. So tasty, and when ya dip in crumbs and deep fry them, it truly is delicious. 🙂 I'm stoked to find your blog. I'll be back for sure.
LikeLike
I have been meaning to try these for ever, they look so yummy. What a shame about the cheesecake.
LikeLike