# Italian Rice Balls

Source: [Serious Eats ](https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/10/arancini-rice-balls-recipe.html)

Makes ~14 Rice Balls

**Ingredients**

2 cups panko or other bread crumbs (finely ground in a food processor if coarse)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

3 cups chicken or no-chicken broth** **(~3 tsps better bullion paste)

2 cups short-grain Asian rice (such as sushi rice)

1 cup dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (half butter/oil?)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup chicken or no-chicken broth** **(~1 tsps better bullion paste)

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup tap water

1 pound low-moisture mozzarella, diced

Vegetable, canola, or other neutral oil, for frying

**Instructions**

**If Making Rice in a Pressure Cooker**: Heat oil in Pressure cooker over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice is evenly coated in oil and toasted but not browned, 3-4 minutes (rice grains should start to look like tiny ice cubes: translucent around the edges and cloudy in the center). Add wine and cook, stirring, until raw alcohol smell has cooked off and wine is almost fully evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 3 cups broth, scrape any grains of rice or pieces of onion from side of pressure cooker so that they are fully submerged; season with salt. Close pressure cooker and bring up to low pressure (10 psi on most units). Cook at low pressure for 6 minutes, then depressurize cooker either by running it under cold water if it is not electric, or using the steam-release valve if it is electric. Return to heat and stir rice until it forms the texture of a thick porridge. Season with salt and pepper.

**If Making Rice on Stovetop**: Heat oil in large saucier pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice is evenly coated in oil and toasted but not browned, 3-4 minutes (rice grains should start to look like tiny ice cubes: translucent around the edges and cloudy in the center). Add wine and cook, stirring, until raw alcohol smell has cooked off and wine is almost fully evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups stock, scrape any grains of rice or pieces of onion from side of pressure cooker so that they are fully submerged; season with salt. When liquid has mostly evaporated, stir in 1 more cup stock and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has mostly evaporated. Stir in water 1/4 cup at a time until rice is just tender and has formed the texture of a thick porridge. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a small saucier or saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour to form a paste, lower heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, until raw-flour smell is gone but flour has not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in milk and remaining 3/4 cup stock until smooth. Bring to a simmer, and continue to cook, stirring, until bechamel sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly, then whisk in eggs.

Scrape rice into large mixing bowl along with bechamel sauce and stir until thoroughly incorporated. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment and scrape rice filling onto each one, spreading it in a thin, even layer. Refrigerate rice filling until thoroughly chilled and thickened, at least 1 hour.

In a shallow bowl, whisk remaining 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 cup water to form a smooth paste, then whisk in an additional 1/4 cup water to form a slurry.

Transfer chilled rice filling to a large mixing bowl and re-line rimmed sheets with fresh parchment paper. Scoop a small handful (about 1/4 cup) of rice filling in one hand (avoid wetting hands with water even though filling is sticky) and form it into a flat disk. Place a few small pieces of mozzarella in center of disk and fold rice filled around it to form a sphere with the cheese in the center. It may be difficult to form a perfect sphere at this point, but that's okay.

Roll rice ball in flour slurry, then transfer to breadcrumbs and roll to coat. The rice ball may feel a little soft at this point, but you should be able to coat it in the crumbs and just manage to maintain a roughly spherical shape. Transfer to parchment and repeat with remaining rice filling, cheese, and coatings.

Fill a saucepan at least 4 inches deep with vegetable oil and heat to 375F. Pick up one breaded rice ball and re-form it into a sphere (it should now more easily take that shape). Gently set it on a slotted spoon and lower it into the oil. Repeat with remaining rice balls, working in batches and topping up oil as needed. Fry rice balls until golden brown, then, using a slotted spoon or spider, lift them one by one from the oil, allowing excess oil to drip off, then transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheets or plates. Let cool slightly, then serve. Rice balls can be allowed to cool, then stored in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350°F oven.

--- **Recipe Cost Information:**

Ingredient	Unit Price	Adjusted Price
2c Bread Crumbs
2tbsp olive oil
1 Yellow Onion
4tsp no-chicken base
2c sushi rice
2tbsp unsalted butter
1/4c milk
2 eggs
1/4c flour
1lb fresh mozzerella

---

**Approximate Nutrition Information:**

Serving Size: 1 Rice Ball

Calories: 344

Total Fat: 17.8g

Saturated Fat: 4.4g

Cholesterol: 29mg

Sodium: 355mg

Total Carbohydrate: 35.5g

Dietary Fiber: 1.3g

Total Sugars: 1.9g

Protein: 7.1g

Vitamin D: 3mcg

Calcium: 52mg

Iron: 2mg

Potassium: 158mg

**Ingredients**:

2 cups bread crumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced yellow onion

3.75 cups chicken broth

2 cups sushi rice

1 cup white wine

2 tbsp unsalted butter

0.22 cup all-purpose flour

0.25 cup milk

2 eggs

1 lb fresh mozzarella

.75 cup vegetable oil