November 2, 2008

Fried Risotto Balls


I've always wanted to try those cheese-stuffed, fried balls of risotto. But, I never make enough risotto to have leftovers. At work yesterday, we were cleaning out the fridges to make room for groceries and I snagged some leftover mushroom & spinach risotto to make the fried balls for dinner.

I didn't really follow a recipe. I just added an egg to the risotto because it didn't seem sticky enough. Then, I put a tablespoon of rice in the palm of my hand, added a pinch of goat cheese in the middle, topped it with another tablespoon of rice, then formed it into a ball (or patty). I then coated the balls with a breadcrumb mixture (crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, & thyme). This, I'll admit, was a sticky mess. I found it easier to form all the balls, wash my hands, then roll them all in the crumbs. I patted the breadcrumbs into each ball to form a thick crust.

Then, I fried the balls in a couple inches of canola oil until they were deeply golden brown.

Yummy!

I only wish I had more of the cheddar cheese risotto. I bet that would be fabulous! Then, again, what isn't fabulous stuffed with cheese and deep fried?

4 comments:

MacDuff said...

I was just at the Mount Washington Inn in New Hampshire (it looks like the hotel out of The Shining) and had fried risotto balls for the first time. But their outer coating was really crispy - I almost thought that they had coated them in rice krispies or something. Going to try your recipe. Thanks!

KELLY said...

If you want it really crispy, try coating the balls in panko crumbs (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs).

Thanks for stopping by!

White Sugar Brown Sugar by Rachel Garlinghouse said...

These look amazing!!!

Anonymous said...

Also fantastic with fresh mozzarella with a saltimbocca sauce. The possibilities are endless.The al salto, or risotto pancakes are a great base for topping with chicken or beef or veggies with any sauce you want. Thanks