Crispy Risotto Cheese Balls
This recipe assumes that you have leftover risotto already. You can use just about any risotto recipe, as long as it is good and sticky and has sufficiently cooled. For the cheese, you want something that will melt well but is still easy to handle during stuffing.Read more about this recipe at Cook & Eat.
Leftover cooked risotto
Panko crumbs
Firm goat cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Frying oil, such as sunflower oil
Sea salt
prep: 10 minutes
total: 25 minutes
baking sheet
parchment paper
wide bowl
plastic wrap
deep frying pan (or wok)
tongs
splatter guard
1. Line a baking sheet with a layer of parchment. Place the panko in a wide bowl.
2. Take a good sized square of plastic wrap, and use it to pull about 1 tablespoon of the cooled, cooked risotto and form into a little ball. Then, create a little hole in the ball with your finger and stick in 1 piece of the goat cheese. Reform the ball of ristotto in the plastic wrap. Then, roll the ball in the panko. Set on the parchment and repeat with the remaining balls.
3. Heat about 1-2 inches of the oil in a deep frying pan or wok. Test the oil by dropping a bit of risotto into the oil… you want it to bubble fiercely.
4. Line a plate with paper towels, and then begin frying up the risotto balls, adding in only about 3 at a time, carefully with tongs. It’s a good idea to use a screen to keep the oil from popping everywhere as you add each ball. Let the balls cook on one side till golden brown, and then roll them over carefully in the oil to brown on all sides. Remove the balls with tongs and place on the paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining balls. Sprinkle with a bit of flake sea salt.
5. You can keep these warm in the oven for a little while, but it’s best to serve them immediately. I like them plain, or with a tiny drizzle of truffle honey.
