Sweet Potato Orzo & Goat Cheese Arancini
Ingredients:
1 lb. Pappardelle’s Sweet Potato Orzo
2 1/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon Bella Sol California EVOO
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stems removed, minced
1 whole egg, whisked
4 oz. goat cheese
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions:Â
- In a large pot, bring chicken stock to a boil. In a separate medium sauce-pot, melt butter and EVOO over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 mins. Add orzo and sauté for 1 minute more. Add white wine and deglaze the pan. Allow the orzo to absorb half of the wine.
- Add the heated chicken stock to onion mixture and boil for 10 mins., stirring occasionally. If the mixture looks too dry, add a little more hot water. (Consistency should be very thick and creamy and orzo slightly past al dente in texture.) Turn off heat. Add rosemary, Parmesan and salt & pepper. Let it cool completely. Add egg and stir until combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop. scoop out 2-3 tbsp. of cooked orzo into the palm of your hand until it forms a silver dollar shape. Dollop the center with 2-3 tbsp. of goat cheese. Fold your hand into a ball and pack the orzo until goat cheese is completely hidden and mixture comes together to form a compact ball so it holds its shape when fried. Continue to roll into balls until no orzo remains. Reserve all of the arancini balls on to a parchment-lined baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins.
- When ready to eat, heat the canola oil in a deep skillet until temperature reaches 350 degrees. Fry the arancini balls until crispy and golden brown in color. Remove and let rest on paper towel-lined plate. Serve with warm Pappardelle’s Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce and enjoy!
