Leftover risotto? You can turn it into arancini

Arancini were probably invented out of thriftiness. While Chinese people make fried rice out of leftovers, the Italians shape surplus risotto into spheres, which they then bread and deep-fry. The result is something completely different from risotto, but just as delicious.

When I make risotto for dinner, I sometimes cook extra so I can make arancini the next day. I like my risotto to be quite runny, so I ladle out a few spoonfuls of the cooked rice from the pot for the arancini, before adding more stock and a large pat of butter to finish the dish. If the risotto is too soft, the arancini won't keep their shape and might fall apart when being fried.

Arancini can be made from any type of risotto. Quite often, the rice is shaped around a small chunk of mozzarella, which melts when fried. When you bite into the arancini, the cheese is rich and stringy.

These creations are best eaten hot; when cool, they become heavier. But you have to eat them carefully, to avoid burning your mouth. I like arancini to be fairly small, because then they have a higher proportion of the crusty exterior.