Ham and cheese arancini
![Five ham and cheese arancini balls on a white plate with a fork and a pot of sauce on a wooden table.](https://fresh.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/Ham-and-cheese-arancini_Hero_landscape_side-on-1_HR-e1683238040301.jpg)
Arancini balls are fun to make, serve and eat! Enjoy making them at leisure when you have time and freeze for snacks and lunch boxes anytime.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box 350g Diamond Rice Risotto - Family Pack Chicken
- 50 g grated parmesan cheese
- A Handful Superb Herb oregano chopped
- ½ box Diamond Coat’n’Cook original
- 50 g cheddar cheese cubed
- 50 g mozzarella cheese cubed
- 50 g Farmland banquet boneless leg ham cubed
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Prepare the rice risotto according to the packet instructions. Fluff, mix in the parmesan cheese and chopped oregano thoroughly and let it cool.
- Using a ladle, small bowl or a large spoon, make even sized rice balls inserting a few cheese and ham cubes in the middle of each one.
- Coat the arancini with coat’n’cook breadcrumbs.
- Deep fry the arancini balls in batches at 180 degrees C for 1-2 minutes until crispy and golden. (To test the temperature, drop a breadcrumb into the oil. - it should dip down halfway of the depth of oil but then float immediately) Alternatively, cook in an air fryer 200 degrees C for 7 minutes. Drain on paper towel to absorb excess oil before serving.
Notes
Cook’s tip 1 : You can freeze the uncooked arancini on a metal tray and transfer them into a freezer bag when they are frozen solidly through. Store up to 3 months in the freezer before frying. Cooked arancini can be frozen too. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 180C.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Arancini are a great way to use up leftover risotto and you can swap the filling out for free-range chicken too.