Simon Rimmer Pesto & Mozzarella Bites Recipe
Here’s the recipe for you to try your hand at my delicious pesto and mozzarella bites. These were inspired by a Sicilian delicacy, arancini, which are small balls of risotto, fried in breadcrumbs.
Sicilians often make them using risotto they’ve already made for a previous meal - a brilliant use of leftovers if you ask me. I find they are perfect with a salad as a light snack or as an accompaniment to a main course.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 small green leek finely diced
- 175g Arborio rice
- 400ml vegetable stock (or 352ml vegetable stock and 75ml white wine)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 30g grated vegetarian Italian hard cheese (Parmesan style)
- 20g Green Pesto
- 30g grated Mozzarella
- 1-2 tbsp of fresh Basil leaves finely shredded
- 1 egg beaten
- 150g fresh breadcrumbs
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pan and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until softened but not browned, add the garlic and leek and continue cooking for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir well to coat the rice with the oil, cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes stirring until the rice becomes translucent.
- If using wine add the wine at this point and stir until it is completely absorbed, then add the stock gradually. Keep stirring until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked but still al dente.
- Remove from the heat and season to taste with the black pepper, stir through the Italian hard cheese and allow the mixture to cool.
- Once cooled stir through the Green Pesto, grated Mozzarella and the fresh Basil.
- Form into bite sized balls and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
- Carefully dip each bite into the beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs, coat well. Heat a deep fat fryer (or wok with sufficient oil to cover the bites) to 190°C/375°F cook in batches for 3 minutes. Alternatively the bites could be deep fried for 30 to 40 seconds and then baked in the oven at 200°C/400°F for 5-6 minutes.
