A few simple ingredients is all you need to make these amazing cheesy rice balls from The Midnight Baker. Arancini, as they're known in Italian, can be a sweet or savory delight. This easy appetizer recipe features a savory mixture of rice, Parmesan cheese and parsley that is breaded and pan fried until crisp. Adults and kids alike will love these tasty bites!
Party Rice Balls
Submitted to Foodista by The Midnight Baker
Makes about 24 rice balls
1 cup uncooked white rice
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 tbs fresh minced parsley or 1/2 tbs dehydrated parsley
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
Bring water and 1 tsp. of salt to boil and stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and cook rice until all water is absorbed. Fluff rice and set aside until it is warm to the touch. You must work with WARM rice, not cold.
Mix the eggs, cheese and parsley in a small bowl. Add to the warm rice and stir well until all rice is coated with the egg mixture.
In a separate bowl, add the cup of breadcrumbs. Keeping your hands wet, roll rice mixture into balls the size of a golf ball. Coat with breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the rice mixture is used.
Heat about 1-inch of oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. Oil should be about 375 degrees OR when a cube of bread is dropped in the oil, it will brown in 1 minute.
Add rice balls to hot oil and brown on all sides. This may have to be done in stages--do NOT crowd the pan! Fry maybe 6-8 balls at a time so they have plenty of room to move around in the pan. When brown, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain oil. These may be kept warm in a 200 degree oven until all the rice balls are cooked.
Serve with marinara sauce and extra cheese.
