Arancini or Italian Rice Balls

Ingredients:
500ml cooked white rice
125ml grated Parmesan
2 eggs
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
250ml breadcrumbs
5ml Italian herbs (basil, marjoram, rosemary)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for frying

Method:
Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough sunflower oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.

Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.

Form each arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.

Whisk together the remaining egg. Dip each arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs with herbs and seasoning mixed in, shaking off any excess.

Once the oil reaches 190ºC, add 2 or 3 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining rice balls.

Serve rice balls with a side of warm spaghetti sauce or as dumplings in a vegetable, beef or mutton stew, preferably one that is heavily flavoured with tomato.