Ingredients

Method

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 t sage leaves finely chopped, plus 8 whole leaves
• 280 g risotto rice
• ¼ cups dry white wine
• 4 cups hot chicken stock
• 1 T butter
• ¼ cup Parmesan grated
• 75 g mozzarella, cubed
• 70 g Parma ham (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 100 g flour
• 3 free-range eggs, beaten
• 150 g Woolworths breadcrumbs
• ½ cup canola oil, for frying
• Garlic mayonnaise or home-made Italian tomato sauce, for dipping

Method

Ingredients

1. Heat 2 T olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and chopped sage and cook until soft, stirring often. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 3–5 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed.

2. Add 1 cup chicken stock, stirring continually, until the stock is absorbed. Continue adding the hot chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next cup.

3. Once the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, remove the pan from the heat and stir through the butter and Parmesan. Season to taste.

4. Transfer the rice to a baking dish and chill for 1 hour. Remove the cooked risotto from the fridge and flatten 1 T risotto in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation using your thumb and place a mozzarella cube and a bit of parma ham (if using) in the centre of the rice. Roll into a ball to seal the mozzarella inside. Repeat with the remaining risotto and mozzarella.

5. Roll each ball in the flour, dip into the beaten egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs and season to taste. Remove the stems from the sage leaves and wrap a leaf around each risotto ball, pressing to secure. Heat the canola oil in a pan over a medium-high heat, then place the balls evenly around the pan and fry until golden brown all over, rotating to ensure each ball is evenly cooked. Serve hot with garlic mayonnaise or home-made Italian tomato sauce.

6. Alternatively, used leftover risotto to make arancini balls.

Cook's note: I love making arancini balls with leftover risotto - it has more flavour once it's stood overnight.