Arancini -Risotto Balls

Risotto is one of my favorite things to make, which is why this is one of my favorite Sicilian appetizers. 

To make these Sicilian cheese-filled appetizers, you first have to make risotto, then use the risotto to make cheese-stuffed balls, then coat them with breadcrumbs and fry them. 

It’s definitely a labor of love but they are absolutely worth it. 

These are the perfect appetizer for the holidays or if you have left over risotto. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE RISOTTO

¼ cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

½ medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 

Salt and black pepper

1 cup arborio rice 

⅓ cup white wine 

2 cups chicken stock, warmed

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

FOR THE ARANCINI:

½ cup Mozzarella, shredded

½ cup Fontina cheese, shredded

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated  

Salt and black pepper

1 ½ quarts vegetable oil

1 cup tomato sauce (fresh or store-bought), warmed

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the risotto: 

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. 

Add onion, garlic and Italian seasoning. 

Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice until coated, about 1 minute, then add wine. 

Cook, stirring frequently, until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Stir in 1/2 cup stock. Cook, stirring frequently, until stock is almost absorbed, about 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining stock, adding 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until absorbed before adding the next cup, about 15 minutes.

Once all the stock has been absorbed, the rice should be tender and creamy. 

Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and seasoning. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Pour into a large bowl and let for at least 20 minutes. 

In the same bowl, mix in the mozzarella, fontina cheese. 

Cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 2 or 3 days.

Once the risotto is chilled, use a cookie scoop and gently roll each into a ball. Repeat with remaining risotto balls. (If you’re not planning to fry them right away, arrange them on a small baking sheet in a single layer, cover and refrigerate until cooking, up to 2 or 3 days in advance. If the risotto mixture isn’t cold, it can fall apart in the hot oil.)

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. (If you have a candy thermometer, now is a good time to use it: Heat the oil to about 350 degrees.)

Prepare the breading: 

Add the flour to a shallow bowl, then add the eggs to another shallow bowl and beat the eggs to combine. In a third bowl, combine the Panko, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.

Working with one arancini, roll it first in the flour, shaking off any excess, then in the egg, then in the bread crumb mixture, taking care to coat it on all sides with each roll. Transfer to a clean baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining arancini.

Fry the arancini in batches, leaving at least one inch between each ball, until golden and crisp on the outside, about 5 minutes. (By the time the crust crisps, the cheese filling will melt.) 

Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining arancini. 

Spoon warmed tomato sauce onto small plates or into bowls and top with warm arancini, or set sauce in a bowl for dipping and arrange arancini on a serving platter. 

Sprinkle arancini with finely grated Parmesan.

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Short Ribs Egg Rolls

Raise your hand if you love egg rolls! I sure do! Here’s a twist on your traditional egg rolls. These homemade egg rolls are filled with beef short ribs and vegetables, all wrapped up and fried to crispy perfection. The perfect make-ahead appetizer for any event!

HOW DO YOU MAKE HOMEMADE EGG ROLLS?

The filling for these egg rolls is shredded beef short ribs, shredded cabbage, carrots and some seasonings like garlic, honey and paprika. I used  a pre-shredded coleslaw mix to make life easier and cut down on prep time.

After your filling is ready, it’s time to stuff your egg roll wrappers! Egg roll wrappers are most commonly found in the refrigerated section of the produce area at most grocery stores. Most egg roll wrappers have a helpful chart on the back to show you exactly how to fold egg rolls.

I served these short rib egg rolls with a side of Spicy Mustard Barbeque sauce and Barbeque sauce. They are the perfect complements to these savory smoky eggrolls.

Ingredients

• ½ pound beef short ribs, cooked and shredded
• 1 bag coleslaw
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup green onions
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Gruyere cheese, shredded
• Egg roll wrappers

Spicy Mustard Barbeque Dipping Sauce

• ¾ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Pinch or more of cayenne
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Dash of hot sauce

Instructions

Heat the 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and red onion then cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in the coleslaw mix and green onions. Cook until cabbage is wilted, about 3-4 minutes. 

Stir in the seasonings, worchestire sauce and honey. 

Stir your shredded short rib meat,  then remove from heat.

Spoon approximately 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto each egg roll wrapper and fold according to package directions, using water to seal the edges of the wrappers as you go. 

Pour 2-3 inches of oil into a deep pot. While oil heats up, make the spicy mustard dipping sauce. 

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Fry 3-4 egg rolls at a time, turning occasionally, until browned all over, approximately 3-5 minutes.

Drain on paper towels, then serve with spicy mustard sauce and barbecue sauce.

Spicy Mustard Barbecue sauce:

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Add to a small pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool.

Beer Battered Crispy Onion Rings

Crispy, golden and absolutely easy these Beer Battered Onion rings are the perfect appetizer or side dish!

Beer Battered Onion Rings are the perfect combination of crispy, light and fluffy with a hint of sweetness from the beer. A great side or topping for game day!

Follow these simple steps and you’ll be amazed how delicious these onion rings turn out!

• In a bowl whisk together your beer and egg and set aside.
• In another bowl whisk together your flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder and pepper.
• Add in your beer and egg mixture.
• Whisk this mixture until its smooth and no lumps remain.
• In a shallow bowl add your additional flour and dredge your sliced onions in the flour.
• Dunk your onion rings into your batter and deep fry in 350 degree F oil until golden brown, flipping a few times.

See how easy this recipe is?

The sweet lime aioli is quick to come together and can be prepared ahead of time. Just whisk all the ingredients together!

You can eat these onion rings as a side to your burger and pile them on top. We piled them onto our Beef Short Rib sliders! 

Ingredients 

LIME AIOLI

• 1/3 cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

ONION RINGS

• 2 large sweet onions rough skins removed, cut into 1/2 inch rings and separated
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg beaten
• 1–1 1/2 cups beer
• Vegetable oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl combine mayo, ketchup, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice.

Begin by peeling the onions and slicing very thinly, use a mandoline slicer if you can. Separate the onion slices and place them in a shallow baking dish and pour the buttermilk over the top. Press the onions down so they’re submerged as much as possible and let them soak on the counter for at least an hour. If necessary, stir them around a bit halfway through the soaking process.

Set 1/4 cup of flour aside on a shallow plate. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, beaten egg and 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups beer depending on how thick you want the batter.

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Dip onion rings in flour on a shallow plate and then into batter. 

Fry battered onion rings in the hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes. Place on paper towels while working in small batches.

Serve hot with Lime aioli or pile them on top of your sandwich!

Zeppole

In 2007, my family and I took a Carnival cruise around the Mediterranean coast. My Papa, grandfather had the biggest sweet tooth and loved to try all the Italian desserts. While we were in Naples, we stopped at a cafe for Limoncello. In the bakery case, they were selling fried dough dusted with powdered sugar, Zeppole. Naturally, my Papa ordered us some to go along with our Limoncello. We were handed a brown paper bag filled with Zeppoles.

We explored Naples, carrying that beautiful greasy bag, pulling Zeppole out one at a time, getting the sugar all over ourselves. We were two very happy people! 

Zeppole are tiny Italian doughnuts – crisp, light and incredibly fluffy, usually served in a brown paper bag or wrapped in parchment paper.

Zeppole make the perfect Hostess gift. Brian and I made them for our Friends Thanksgiving at our friend’s Jason and Paul’s house.

As it turns out, Zeppole are really easy to make at home and take almost no time at all — about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of unsifted flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese 
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Confectioners Sugar for Dusting or maybe Cinnamon Sugar
• Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Crack your two eggs into the mixing bowl and beat until foamy.  

Add all of your dry ingredients into the eggs in the mixing bowl while on slow speed and then add  your ricotta and vanilla right away.  

Continue to mix on a slow speed till it is all combined.  The batter will be thick…creamy and sticky.  It is not a cookie dough consistency…it is a rich thick waffle type batter. Do not over mix.

Have your oil ready in your favorite pot.  I use a cast iron  dutch oven.  Your oil should be approximately 375 degrees.

I use a small cookie dough scoop …first I spray it with oil so that batter doesn’t stick …then scoop up the batter (no exact measurement here : ) and carefully drop it into the oil…repeat with consecutive scoops but don’t let them touch…

Zeppoles will turn themselves over. Fry them for about about 3 minutes…if they are a little bigger…a little longer.

Once you get to that nice deep golden brown it is time to scoop them up and place them on brown paper or paper towels to drain. Continue with another batch. 

Sprinkle them with Confectioners sugar or some Cinnamon Sugar.