Il Capitano’s Signature Arancini

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    Il Capitano’s Signature Arancini

    1, 2, 3, 4… wow, 5! Hey, don’t mind us, just counting the cheeses that go into Il Capitano's Signature Arancini served at Cucina del Capitano®. (Mmm.) And now, 3, 2, 1… oh, you know, just counting the seconds until you decide to make this for dinner at home tonight!

    a fork, plate and spoon SERVES 5 servings
    clock TOTAL TIME 35 Min
    hand holding a serving platter DIFFICULTY 3/5

    Ingredients:


    For the risotto:
    • 4 oz Arborio rice
    • 1 yellow onion, chopped
    • 1 clove garlic, chopped
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 oz white wine
    • 1 oz olive oil
    • 1 oz soft butter
    • a very small amount of clarified butter
    • 1 oz provolone cheese (grated)
    • 2 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (grated)
    • 1.5 oz parmesan cheese (grated)
    • 1 oz mascarpone cheese
    • 1 oz ricotta salata cheese
    • 2 oz whole milk mozzarella, chopped
    • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
    • salt, to taste
    • chicken stock as required

    For the sauce:
    • 5 oz pomodorini (that’s cherry tomato sauce)
    • 1 oz olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • chili flakes, to taste

    Here’s how you make it:


    1. In a saucepan with clarified butter, sauté the garlic, onions and bay leaf for 5 minutes. De-glaze the pan with white wine.
    2. Now add the rice and salt, stir for 1 minute and add the chicken stock, stirring continuously.
    3. Cook until rice is almost done (as with pasta, it should be al dente). The entire contents of the pan should sort of have a runny consistency. It sounds weird, but trust us on this.
    4. Finish off with soft butter, mascarpone, parmesan and 1 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese, stirring all this goodness together.
    5. Set the mixture aside to let it cool to room temperature. We know, it’s hard to not just grab a spoon and eat it.
    6. Mix in the remaining chopped mozzarella and adjust the seasoning to your liking. (Yeah, you probably should have a little taste now.)
    7. Form the mixture, 1 oz at a time, into ball-shaped balls.
    8. Dust each ball in flour, dip in egg white and coat with panko crumbs.
    9. Since they may have lost their shape, hand-roll the balls back into a nice round shape.
    10. Deep-fry them to a golden brown.

    Here's how you make the sauce:
    1. In a saucepan with olive oil, sauté the garlic, chili flakes, and pomodorini. Reduce to make a thick sauce.
    2. Say “pomodorini” a few times out loud, just because it’s fun to say.
    3. Pass through a chinois or strainer.
    4. Add chili flakes, to taste.

    Here’s how you get fancy:
    1. Ladle some sauce in the center of a serving dish.
    2. Place the arancini balls into the sauce. (Bonus: they won’t roll around while serving.)
    3. Garnish with grated and sliced ricotta salata. Mmm, cheese.

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