Recipe: Fried Risotto Balls

First off, if you haven't been to Taylor Gourmet yet, then stop reading this and go! Secondly, not only are their sandwiches delicious but their fried risotto balls are to die for. Here is a recipe to make them at home. It's a really good recipe if you have leftover risotto and want to do something different with it. My roommate said after eating them: "can you please make these everyday?"

Ingredients

2 cups cooked risotto, cooled (I used Parmesan risotto from Harris Teeter)
½ cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs, separated
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Oil, for frying
1 cup store-bought or homemade marinara sauce

Directions

Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.

Combine the risotto, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.

Heaven.

Form each ball by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.

Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each ball in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.

Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried risotto ball from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt. Repeat the frying process with the remaining balls.

Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce.