Name: Provolone piccante arancini with thyme and garlic aioli
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 50 ml olive oil; ¼ onion, finely chopped; 200 gm arborio rice; 750 ml hot chicken stock (3 cups); 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme; 50 gm parmesan, finely grated; 30 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 40 gm provolone piccante; For coating: plain flour; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 250 gm fine soft white breadcrumbs, for coating; For deep-frying: sunflower oil; To serve: baby basil leaves and aioli

Provolone piccante arancini with thyme and garlic aioli

The bite-sized snack we can't go past.

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Cook

55M

Total

1H 25M

“My dad used to cook provolone for us in the mornings when we were kids. To this day I love the taste, the texture and the smell of the cooked cheese.” – Joseph Vitale, Bottega, Melbourne, Vic

Ingredients

50 ml olive oil

¼ onion, finely chopped

200 gm arborio rice

750 ml hot chicken stock (3 cups)

1 tbsp finely chopped thyme

50 gm parmesan, finely grated

30 gm butter, coarsely chopped

40 gm provolone piccante

For coating: plain flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

250 gm fine soft white breadcrumbs, for coating

For deep-frying: sunflower oil

To serve: baby basil leaves and aioli

Method

1.Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat, add onion, stir occasionally until tender (3-5 minutes), add rice, stir to coat, then add stock, little by little, until rice is slightly overcooked and stock is absorbed (18-20 minutes). Add thyme, parmesan and butter and stir until creamy (1-2 minutes), remove from heat. Meanwhile, finely grate 15g provolone, add to rice mixture, spread over a tray and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill (1-1½ hours).

2.Cut remaining provolone into 5mm cubes and set aside. Shape walnut-sized balls of rice mixture with your hands, then push a provolone cube into centre of each, pressing rice around to enclose completely. Roll rice balls in flour, then beaten egg and finally breadcrumbs, shaking off excess in between, ensuring they are completely coated. Refrigerate on a tray to chill (30 minutes).

3.Preheat oil in a deep saucepan or deep-fryer to 200C. Deep-fry arancini in batches, turning occasionally, until golden (3-5 minutes; be careful as hot oil may spit). Scatter with baby basil and serve hot with aioli.

Joseph Vitale

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Alice Storey

Styling by Geraldine Muñoz