Sunny’s Risotto Balls

(Makes 20 – 50 depending on size) - Picture taken by Milton at my birthday party.

I made these for my Prom Night and they were enjoyed so much that I have since been hounded to put the recipe up!

Whilst my Grandma was the one who taught me how to cook risotto, these were essentially a ‘see a need, fill a need’ recipe. I always had leftover risotto (I am completely unable to cook for just one person!!) and it never tasted as good the next day. And so, my risotto balls were born! They are great for parties as you can make & even cook them the night before & simply reheat when needed.

Ingredients:
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 batch of Parmesan Risotto – see this recipe for the how-to.
1 block of tasty cheese
Oil for frying

Method:
1. Cut the block of tasty cheese into 1cm (or less) cubes. Put aside.

2. Roll a tablespoon of risotto into a ball (you can change the size of these depending on your preference). Using either the small end of a wooden spoon or your thumb, create an indent in the ball. Place a cube of cheese inside and form the rice around it. Put the ball aside on a plate. Continue doing this with the remainder of the risotto mixture.

3. Place the egg, flour & breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Roll balls in the four mixture, then coat with the egg mixture & finally with the breadcrumbs. Place on a plate & chill for half an hour.

4. In a large fry pan, heat the oil until a piece of bread turns slightly golden within 2 seconds. Add the risotto balls, working in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Turn, ensuring all sides are golden. Place onto some absorbent paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve immediately or place aside to be reheated in an oven. The cheese in the centre should be melted and gooey when you bite into it.

You can mix it up by trying different risotto’s (although keep extra ingredients like bacon or zucchini chopped quite finely) and different cheeses. It’s really good with a mushroom risotto. I like to keep mine bite size & make sure you hand people napkins when you offer them one as it is definitely finger food! This is one of my favourites & one of my most requested foods.

Enjoy!

x Sunny x