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Makes: 28-30
Prep time: 45 mins
Total time:
Recipe photograph by Dan Jones
Recipe by Livvy Potts and Katy Young
These irresistibly cheesy mushroom risotto balls are deep-fried until golden and served with a vibrant pesto dip - make ahead for easy vegetarian entertaining
Makes: 28-30
Prep time: 45 mins
Total time:
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Canapés Party Starters Vegetarian Christmas Italian New Year Valentine's Day Rice Risotto Pesto
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
114Kcal
Fat
4gr
Saturates
2gr
Carbs
14gr
Sugars
1gr
Fibre
1gr
Salt
0.4gr
Livvy Potts and Katy Young
Friends Livvy Potts and Katy Young run Feast, a luxury catering company
See more of Livvy Potts and Katy Young’s recipes
Livvy Potts and Katy Young
Friends Livvy Potts and Katy Young run Feast, a luxury catering company
See more of Livvy Potts and Katy Young’s recipes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
For the risotto
- 10g dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 25g butter
- 2 onions, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 300g arborio rice
- 100g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 vegetable stock pot
- 100g Parmesan cheese or vegetarian alternative, finely grated
- 1x 150g mozzarella ball, drained and diced
- vegetable oil, for frying
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
- fresh vegetarian pesto
To coat
- 50g plain flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 100g panko or other dried breadcrumbs
Step by step
Get ahead
Make the risotto the day before and chill.
The balls can be made and chilled ahead, or frozen for 1 month (defrost before frying).
If frying a few hours ahead, reheat the arancini for 12-15 mins in a oven preheated to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.
- Rehydrate the porcini mushrooms by covering them with boiling water in a small bowl. Leave them for 20 minutes while you start the risotto, then drain, reserving the water, and chop the porcini.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Cook the onions until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a minute or so.
- Add the arborio rice, stir, then add the fresh mushrooms and porcini and cook for a couple of minutes. Put the stock pot in a large measuring jug and dissolve in 1 litre of boiling water.
- Add the porcini soaking water to the rice (discard the last bit of liquid, which may be gritty), then the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly, and waiting until each is ladleful is absorbed before adding more. The rice needs to be properly cooked with no chalky interior. Stop adding the stock when no more can be absorbed.
- Stir the Parmesan through the risotto. Taste, and season. Spread out the risotto on a tray and leave to cool to room temperature. Mix in the mozzarella; chill.
- Roll the chilled risotto into ping-pong-sized balls – you should get about 28.
- Set up an assembly line. Dip each arancini first into the flour, then beaten egg, and finally the breadcrumbs.
- Heat the oil in a large deep pan to 180°C – or until a few crumbs dropped in start to sizzle. Cook the arancini in small batches for 4-5 minutes, submerging them in the oil until golden. Drain on kitchen paper, and sprinkle with salt before serving warm with some pesto for dipping.
