Gordon Ramsay’s Easy Arancini

Gordon Ramsay’s arancini are crispy fried risotto balls stuffed with melting mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs and served with lemon. The recipe starts with a mushroom risotto built from scratch, so you get two meals from one cook. Makes 18 in about an hour.

The full recipe is in the Ultimate Cookery Course. Ramsay writes “you might like to double up the ingredients, because this is effectively two meals in one” and suggests prosecco alongside. He runs through the quick leftover version in his YouTube video.

Getting the risotto cold enough before rolling is the part most people rush. Warm risotto falls apart in the oil because the starch has not had time to set. Thirty minutes in the fridge, or spreading it on a baking tray to cool, gives you balls that hold together.

Gordon Ramsay’s Easy Arancini

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: Appetizer, SnackCuisine: Italian, BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

18

arancini

Prep time

40

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

120

kcal

Total time

1 hr 5 min

Crispy fried risotto balls from the Ultimate Cookery Course. Mushroom risotto with a mozzarella centre, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried until golden. Two meals from one cook.

Ingredients

• For the risotto:

• 25g (1 oz) mixed dried wild mushrooms

• Butter

• Flavourless oil (groundnut or vegetable), for frying

• 1 small onion or banana shallot, peeled and finely diced

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

• 250g (1¼ cups) risotto rice

• 125ml (½ cup) dry white wine

• 500ml (2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock

• 25g (1 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

• For the arancini:

• 9 mini mozzarella balls or ½ a large ball, cut into 1.5-2cm cubes

• 1-2 eggs, beaten

• About 100g (¾ cup) plain flour (all-purpose flour)

• 125g (1½ cups) panko or ordinary breadcrumbs

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Flavourless oil, for deep-frying

• Lemon wedges, to serve

Directions

• Soak the mushrooms: Cover the dried mushrooms in 250ml (1 cup) hot water and leave for 20 minutes.
• Start the risotto: Heat a knob of butter and a glug of oil in a heavy-based pan. Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.
• Toast the rice: Add the risotto rice and stir for 2 minutes until translucent at the edges. Pour in the wine and simmer until absorbed.
• Cook the risotto: Heat the stock and add the mushroom soaking liquid. Add a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next. Continue for about 20 minutes until the rice is al dente.
• Finish the risotto: Chop the mushrooms and stir in with a knob of butter and the Parmesan. Season, then spread on a baking tray and leave to cool completely.
• Roll and stuff: Roll the cold risotto into golf-ball-sized balls. Push a piece of mozzarella into the centre and seal. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Coat: Set up three bowls: seasoned flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Dip each ball into flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
• Fry: Heat oil to 170°C (340°F). Deep-fry in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Ramsay says you can shallow-fry arancini instead of deep-frying. Cook over medium heat and turn frequently, basting with oil. Any leftover risotto works for this, not just mushroom. Chill the rolled balls overnight for the best results.

FAQs

Which risotto works best for arancini?

The UCC builds the arancini on a mushroom risotto with dried wild mushrooms. The earthy flavour holds up against the frying. The starch sets firm when cold, which is what you need for rolling.

Any risotto works though. The pea risotto gives you a brighter, lighter version. The truffle risotto makes a more luxurious arancini for a dinner party starter.

Can you use leftover risotto?

That is exactly what the video shows. Ramsay takes cold leftover risotto, wraps it around mozzarella and fries it. The UCC even says “you can make arancini with leftover risotto, if you happen to have some to hand.”

The mushroom risotto from the same book is the one he designed as the arancini base. Make it one night, roll the arancini the next.

Can you shallow-fry instead of deep-fry?

Ramsay says yes. The UCC includes a note on shallow-frying: cook over medium heat and turn frequently, basting with oil. They take a couple of minutes longer and the coating is slightly less even, but the taste is the same.

Use about 2cm (¾ inch) of oil in a heavy pan. The Scotch eggs use the same flour-egg-breadcrumb coating and can also be shallow-fried.

Why does the mozzarella not always melt?

If the arancini are not fried long enough, the heat does not reach the centre. If the pieces are too large, the outside burns before the middle melts. Cut the cheese into 1.5-2cm cubes, no bigger.

Serve them immediately. The mozzarella starts to firm up again within a few minutes. Ramsay says to “serve immediately while the middles are still melting.”

What do you serve arancini with?

Lemon wedges are the classic. A squeeze of lemon cuts through the richness of the fried coating. The pork and prawn balls from UHC use a similar fry-and-serve approach, and the Asian spices contrast well with the Italian flavours on a sharing board.

Arancini also work as a side for soup. The crunchy outside against a smooth soup makes a good contrast.