Vegetarian recipe Arancinotto - Arancini with Radicchio and Taleggio cheese

Introduction to the recipe

Radicchio and taleggio is a typical pairing in a number of Northern Italian regions. Taleggio is, in fact, a cheese that is Lombard in origin. Although it takes its name from the Val Taleggio near Bergamo, it is today produced in several areas in the regions of Veneto and Piedmont.

Radicchio, on the other hand, is typical of Veneto, as are many of the most tasty traditional recipes made using this leafy crop, including the risotto with radicchio and taleggio from which these arancini draw their inspiration. With just the right degree of tangy savour, they make a perfect cocktail-hour treat, to be enjoyed with a glass of fine wine.

From the world

Easy

80 grams

Vegetarian

Ingredients for about 12 arancini

For rice:

500 grams of rice ("Roma" and "Originario" rices, mixed in equal doses)
1.1 liter of vegetable stock
2 bags of saffron
10 grams of salt
60-100 grams of butter

For the finish:

100 gr of flour
180 ml of water
2 eggs
150 gr of bread crumbs

For the filling:

1 red radicchio
150 grams of taleggio
extra virgin olive oil
sale, black pepper

Preparation of rice and filling

Rice

How to prepare the rice:

In a saucepan, put the broth, the butter, the saffron and the salt
When the stock is boiling, add the rice and mix well
Cover and cook over low heat until the rice absorbs all the broth and is cooked but al dente
When cooked, stir, pour the rice on a cold surface and spread evenly to allow rapid cooling
When the rice is cool down, it is ready to prepare the arancini

Important

It is important to let the rice dry well during cooking. It should not be too hot or too wet, or it could stick to the mold.

For more informations about rice, Click here.

The filling

Wash the radicchio and slice it into very thin strips
In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil and then wilt the radicchio for a few minutes over high heat
Remove from the heat and let it cool
Chop the cheese into small cubes
Mix the taleggio with the radicchio

How to shape the arancini

1 - Fill the base of the Arancinotto with rice and use a spoon to pack it down firmly.

2 - Put the lid on the base and insert the plunger as far as it will go.

3 - Remove the plunger and spoon your filling into the central hole, packing it in with a teaspoon to ensure there is a generous amount.

4 - Cover the top with a thin layer of rice and press it down using the other end of the plunger.

5 - Take the cover back off of the Arancinotto and gently remove your arancino.

How to frying the arancini

The finishing touch

Put the arancini in the batter and in the bread crumbs as follows:

In a bowl, place the flour
Add the egg and water and beat well with whips
When the batter is smooth and dense, pass the arancini
Immediately after having passed them in the batter, pass the arancini in bread crumbs

Frying

Fry in plenty of oil until golden brown, to ensure your arancini fry up perfectly, use one of the following oils: peanut oil, olive oil, or palm oil.
Heat the oil to the ideal temperature, 190°C, either in a frying pan or by setting the temperature on your deep fryer.
If using a pan, you can make sure that the oil has reached the proper temperature by dropping in a bread crumb. If it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
Immerse the arancini gently in the oil, only a few at a time, so as to prevent the temperature of the oil from falling too low.
When they are done, place the arancini on absorbent paper, then serve.
Serve the arancini with sauce on the side.

For more information about Finishing and Frying, Click here.

Enjoy your arancini!

Varation

For even more flavourful arancini, mix a few strips of radicchio into the rice.

Bonus idea

Add some finely chopped walnuts to the breading. Their flavour is a perfect complement to the taleggio and radicchio.

Another name for this arancino could be the Lombardy-Venetian. However, when most people think of Lombardy-Venetia, what comes to mind is a pre-Risorgimento past of waltzes and moustachios alla Emperor Franz Joseph. The Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia was established by the Congress of Vienna following a complicated debate, during which the name “Austrian Italy” was also considered, but in the end the Solomonic decision was taken to join the area’s two historic names together. However, mightn’t it have been better (or more ‘tasteful’) to call it the Kingdom of Taleggio-Radicchio?

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