Risotto cakes are patty-shaped clusters of breaded and deep-fried risotto that can be made with leftover risotto and customized with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and herbs. They are an adaptation of the Italian dish arancini.
Basic risotto cakes consist of patty-shaped clusters of risotto, a creamy dish made from rice, wine, broth, butter, and cheese, that have been breaded and deep-fried. Often times, risotto cakes are made using leftover risotto, making the somewhat labor-intensive process of preparing risotto pay off in the eyes of some cooks. Variations of the basic risotto recipe may require the addition of cured meats, cheeses, fresh herbs or vegetables. These cakes are an adaptation of the popular Italian fried risotto dish called arancini.
The simplest risotto cakes are quite simple both in their content and in their method of preparation. To make them, a bunch of risotto is formed into a small patty and covered in breadcrumbs. It is then fried in oil for about five minutes and eaten.
The possible variations of the basic risotto recipe are more or less limited only by the cook’s imagination. Some popular versions include meat, such as beef or ham, or seafood, such as shrimp or tuna. Many cooks add cheese to the risotto mix, the breading, or both. It is also common to add fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or parsley to risotto cakes. Some cooks choose to incorporate greens like asparagus, green onions or butternut squash into their pies.
Often, risotto cakes are made not by making a new batch of risotto, but by using leftover risotto from a previous meal. The preparation of risotto itself is seen by many as a rather laborious process that involves adding ladles of broth in stages and almost constant stirring. Using leftover risotto to make pies allows cooks to enjoy the fruits of their labor over two meals instead of just one.
Risotto cakes are an adaptation of the popular Italian dish called arancini. These clusters of breaded and fried risotto, which are especially common in Sicily, are usually round rather than patty-shaped. In fact, the word arancini translates to “little oranges,” a reference to the round shape of the clusters and the orange hue of their fried coating. Along with leftovers or freshly prepared risotto, arancini also often contain tomato sauce, peas and cheese.
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