I was first introduced to these by my lovely neighbour and omg were they good and my kids loved them too, so I wanted to have a go at making a baked version. I was very pleased with the result. These were yummy served with a homemade tomato sauce and some salad. They are also really good served cold, so are great for picnics, lunch boxes etc.
This recipe is Slimming and Weight Watchers friendly
Slimming Eats Recipe
Makes approx 10 arancini
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) of arborio rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- Italian mixed herbs
- 4 cups (960ml) of chicken stock
- 120g (4oz) of whole wheat bread (lightly toasted and blitzed into breadcrumbs)
- 60g (2oz) of parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- for the filling I used some leftover bolognese from this recipe here (omitting the wine) and mixed in a few frozen peas. (You only need about a heaped teaspoon of bolognese per ball)
- spray oil
For the sauce:
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 cup (240ml) of passata
- ½ cup (120ml) of chicken stock
- spray oil
Method
Place the stock and Italian mixed herbs into a saucepan and keep on a low heat.
Spray a large frying pan with some spray oil, add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and fry until softened, mix in the arborio rice and start adding the stock a couple of ladles at a time. Repeat the process until rice is nice and creamy, but still has a slight bite to it.
Add the rice to a bowl, mix in the parmesan and beaten egg and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 200c or 400f (gas mark 6)
Place the breadcrumbs in a deep dish and season with some salt and black pepper and then you can start the process of making the arancini.
Get about 2 tablespoon of the risotto mixture in your hands and flatten it down so you have a kind of pancake. Place one heaped teaspoon of the bolognese mixture into the centre of the pancake, and then carefully bring the rice up and around the mixture and form into a ball. Place in the breadcrumbs and roll to evenly cover and then place on a baking tray sprayed with some spray oil.
Repeat the process with the rest of the mixture. You should get approx 10 balls.
When all mixture is gone, go back over all the balls just to make sure they are firmly closed up and roll them through the remaining breadcrumbs again.
Place back on the tray and spray over the top with some more spray oil.
Put them in the oven and bake for approx 30 mins until lightly golden all over (you will need to rotate them at least once half way through the cooking time.
While they are baking you can make the tomato sauce.
Spray a frying pan with some spray oil, add theonion and garlic and fry until lightly golden. Add the passata, stock and splash of balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until sauce has thickened.
Serve the arancini with the sauce.
Enjoy!!
You can use any type of risotto you like for the rice and the filling is entirely up to you too. Check out my lentil bolognese recipe here for a green day alternative.
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