Leftover love

Leftovers (soups and stews that benefit from a night of mingling in the fridge) were the love of my life while I was at uni and when I first ventured into the workplace, saving me time and money. This practise didn't do much to increase the variety in my diet though it did save me from sandwich monotony.

But the fact is: some dishes just don't improve. Take leftover risotto for example.. it never achieves its former glory reheated the day after. The flavours are all there but the texture leaves much to be desired (unless you had to patch a leaky roof). Its gluey texture IS, however, perfect for a magical transformation into wonderful little bites, arancini, perfect antipasti or as a snack with drinks.

Called arancini (little oranges) or, less commonly, suppli al telefono (telephone wires- after the stretchy cheese inside), these are an easy treat. Tuck a smallish cube of your preferred melting cheese into the center of a rounded tablespoon of the leftover risotto. Fontina is a flavourful favourite and gorgonzola is a delicious option over relatively tame-by-comparison scamorza (or domestic mozzarella). Then roll the shaped balls in flour and a quick egg dip before going into a seasoned toasted breadcrumb mixture. Allow to set for a few minutes before frying in 180C oil until golden brown.

The best thing about this dish is that it looks little like leftovers and takes on a new life as a little fritter. If you've no leftovers to play with, you needn't worry. An overdose of risotto isn't necessary.. Here's AGT's arancini recipe. While truffles are an ethereal addition, you could substitute a scant 1/8 tsp of slightly more economical truffle paste into the center with the cheese or even add it (a few teaspoons or so) to the risotto.


Buon appetito!