The Method

1. Firstly the rice mixture: Fry off the butter and add the rice slowly adding hot ladles of stock to the rice stirring constantly for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is nice and creamy. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature and 1 of the eggs and the cheese. Put into the fridge and let cool down completely.

2. Now make the filling for the balls: Cook the mince off in a little oil for a minute or so, then add the garlic soon followed by the passata and puree, cook until the mixture is nice and thick, season, leave to cool.

3. Get all of your ingredients together on your work surface.Wet your hands with cold water then start by picking up a handful of the rice mixture. Put it in your left hand. Now cup your hand and push the rice in and around your hand to make a mould for the filling. Take a good tablespoon of the sauce and place it in the mould. Add a cube of mozzarella. Wet your working hand again and pick up some more of the rice mixture (a bit less this time). Lay it in your right hand and using the back of your left hand press the rice down a bit to make a little lid. Place on top of the filling, gently squeezing and rolling the arancini till you get a nice round shape (about the size of a table tennis ball). When you’ve finished rolling the arancini put them back in the fridge for about 30mins to firm up.

4. Now coat the arancini in the egg wash and coat in the breadcrumbs before dropping in a deep fat fryer at 160 Celcius until crisp. They are now ready to serve, either with a lovely dressed salad or on their own.