Basic Arancini

Ingredients

Basic Risotto

• 1½ litre salt reduced vegetable stock (Massel stock is best)
• 25g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1⅓ cup arborio rice
• ½ cup white wine (or cider/extra stock)
• 1 cup frozen peas

Arancini Balls

• 100g bocconcini
• 1 cup flour
• 150g panko breadcrumbs
• 3 eggs
• 750ml flavourless oil, i.e. sunflower oil

Method

1. Boil water to make stock per package instructions. Pour the stock into a pot/saucepan and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. 
2. In a separate pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and sweat gently for 6 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and with onions for 2 minutes. Stir the rice into the onions and garlic mixture until completely coated, then stir continuously until the the edges of the rice grains start to look transparent.
3. Pour in the wine and simmer until totally evaporated, try to deglaze any of the mixture stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring with each addition until absorbed. Continue this over a low heat for 25-30 mins. Just before the the rice is al dente add the peas, then continue to cook until done. Season with pepper as needed. Let the risotto cool before handling. 
4. Once the risotto is cool enough to handle, scoop some out into the palm of you hand, then place half a piece of bocconcini in the centre and roll the risotto around the bocconcini into roughly the size of a golfball. Repeat this process until all risotto is used. Place the balls into containers and into the fridge for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
5. Once risotto balls have set in the fridge, set up 3 shallow bowls and fill one with sifted flour, one with beaten egg and one with panko breadcrumbs. For each ball, completely coat with flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs and place on a plate ready for frying.
6. Once all the balls have been coated, fill a small metal saucepan with enough oil to submerge balls. Heat oil to around 180 degrees. To test that the oil is hot enough, drop some batter into the oil and see if it bubbles. Once heated, add the balls in batches of about two or three (depending on how big your saucepan is). Fry each batch for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and heated through the middle. Once cooked, remove with metal tongs and place onto a metal airing rack with a tray underneath. Repeat until all arancini is made, moving to a warm oven if necessary. Serve hot.

Tip:

You re-use deep fry oil for another batch of arancini. Wait for oil to cool down then filter into a bottle (cleaned out disposable soft drink or water bottle) using a funnel and paper towel. You may need to filter twice.

Financial Breakdown

Product	Full Basket Cost	Units Used	Cost of Product Used
Massel Vegetable Stock Powder 140g (makes roughly 20 litres)*	$3.45	1.5	$0.25
Onion	$0.30	All	$0.30
Garlic Bulb (12 cloves)	$1.20	2	$0.20
Arborio Rice (1kg)	$2.69	300g	$0.80
Frozen Peas (1kg)	$2.09	140g	$0.30
Bocconcini (200g)	$3.49	100g	$1.75
Flour (1kg)	$1.25	120g	$0.15
Panko Breadcrumbs (220g)*	$2.00	150g	$1.36
Free Range Eggs 700g (12 pack)	$3.99	3	$1.00
Sunflower Oil 750ml	$5.00	All	$5.00
Total	$25.46		$11.11