Best Rice Timbale Like Baked Arancini Recipes

RICE TIMBALE (LIKE BAKED ARANCINI)

Steps:

• Oil a 5-pint casserole dish (such as a Corningware souffle dish) 8-10 inches in diameter and coat lightly with dry breadcrumbs. This will serve as your timbale mold. Put aside.
• For the meatballs, combine the beef, soft breadcrumbs, 2 1/2 tablespoons parmesan, parsley, 1 egg, salt and pepper in a bowl (add a minced clove of garlic, if desired). Mix thoroughly to achieve a medium-soft consistency. Add a second egg if the mixture is too dry.
• Form meatballs the size of a large cherry and fry in 2 tablespoons of oil until lightly brown (alternatively, bake in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes).
• Simmer 1 1/4 cups of the sauce in a pot, drop in the meatballs, and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
• For the pea filling, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan and add the bacon, the peas, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup water. Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the sausage meat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sausage changes color.
• Stir in the chicken livers and the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and set aside.
• For the rice mixture and assembly, preheat the oven to 375°F Bring the beef stock and 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce to a boil in an ovenproof casserole, stir in the rice, cover and bake for 10 minutes.
• When it comes out of the oven the rice will be underdone and very moist. Stir in 3/4 cup parmesan, 2 well-beaten eggs, and some freshly-ground pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Spoon 3/4 of the rice mixture into the prepared timbale mold, pressing firmly against the sides and bottom, leaving a hollow in the center.
• Cover the bottom of the hollow with half the mozzarella, then half the ham. Add the pea mixture, then the meatballs with their sauce, the mushrooms (here you could use sauteed cultivated mushrooms; it is more authentically Italian to use dried porcini mushrooms), and finally the remaining mozzarella and ham.
• Cover with the remaining rice, sprinkle the top with dry breadcrumbs and dot with butter.
• Bake in the oven at 375°F for one hour or until a golden crust forms. Remove from oven and let settle for 10 minutes, then unmold on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

BUTTERY RICE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Place rice in large strainer. Rinse under cold running water until water runs off clear. Let rice drain thoroughly.
• Bring broth, lime juice and salt to boil in small saucepan. Cover; keep warm. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add rice; stir until butter starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Mix broth mixture into rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until broth is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Butter six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Divide rice among prepared ramekins, packing gently. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cool; cover with plastic. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm, covered, in microwave on low 2 minutes.) Unmold rice onto plates.

GINA'S ARANCINI

Steps:

• Combine the rice and broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
• While the rice is cooking, heat the butter and olive oil in a small pan over medium heat and add the prosciutto. Cook until it begins to crisp, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Once the rice is cooked, remove to a large baking sheet and let cool for 10 minutes. (Rice can be made a day ahead, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)
• While the rice is cooling, pour 1/2 cup (120 ml) room-temperature water into a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Set both aside.
• Once the rice is cool, combine it with the crisped prosciutto, egg, parsley, Parmigiano cheese, and salt in a large bowl.
• Using an ice cream scoop or lightly wet hands, create a 2-inch (5-cm) round ball with the rice mixture. Make an indentation in the middle and add a cube of mozzarella cheese. Encase the cheese with rice and reshape into a perfect ball, then set on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rice mixture.
• Using your hands, lightly wet the outside of each of the rice balls with the room-temperature water, then roll in the bread crumbs. Set them on the baking sheet.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot to 350°F (175°C). Drop 4 rice balls into the oil (they should fully submerge) and cook until the outside is golden brown, about 3 minutes. If your pot is wide, carefully roll the rice balls in the oil to ensure even cooking on all sides.
• Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining rice balls. They are best eaten at room temperature, garnished with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, if you can wait!