food & dining
Risotto Times Two
R isotto is one of those special
occasion dishes that requires a
lot of time standing over a hot
stove stirring. I love it, but I don’t love
making it.

I had a hankering for it the other day
and did some research about how to
avoid the hard labor. I came across
several recipes that swore by the oven
technique, and I gave it a try. It was
shockingly good with minimal effort
and, best of all, I had a lot left over, so
I made risotto balls for dinner a few
nights later.

Those were a bit more effortful, but
since the risotto was no muss, no fuss,
I felt I was still ahead of the game. If
you prefer to avoid wine in cooking or
don’t have it on hand, you can simply
use additional vegetable broth.

This is a basic recipe, but it can be
jazzed up with lemon zest and juice,
fresh herbs, additional spices, tomato
paste, olives, etc.

Oven Risotto | Dairy
Makes about 6 servings, or serves 2
with enough left to make the risotto
balls described below
It is best to use a dish or pan with
a lid to cook this, but in a pinch, you
can cover it with foil. The key is not to
use too large a pan or the liquid won’t
distribute properly; an 8-inch pan is
ideal. For the risotto:
½ onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ cups arborio rice
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups vegetable broth
To finish:
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a 2½-quart casserole dish or
ovenproof pan with a cover, place all
the risotto ingredients and stir. Cover
and bake it for about 45 minutes.

Check for doneness; the rice should
be cooked through but have a slight
bite in the very center. If it is not
done, add a bit more broth or water
and return it to the oven for about 10
minutes. If it is done, but the risotto is
too thick, add a bit more liquid but do
not continue cooking it. Stir well and
add the butter and Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

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766994 ANN’S CHOICE Bucks County
MARIS GROVE Brandywine Valley
20 MAY 4, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
1 cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
These delicious orbs are things that
I generally order in restaurants but
never make.

For one thing, it is rare to have
leftover risotto in my house and, until
discovering the oven recipe detailed
above, there was no way I was going to
the trouble to make risotto only to use
it as an ingredient in another dish. But
in this case, it worked out brilliantly.

I used a small skillet to fry these in
batches of 3 or 4 and kept a lid handy
to prevent splatter. This saved using
a huge amount of oil and ensured
that the balls are cooked evenly and
thoroughly. 3
1
¾
½
1
cups leftover risotto, chilled
egg cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
cup panko
cup canola oil for frying
(approximately) Marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese
and chopped fresh herbs, if
desired, for serving.

In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the
egg. In another shallow bowl, mix the
breadcrumbs and panko.

Heat your oven to 250 degrees F,
and place a baking dish nearby to hold
the cooked risotto balls.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-
high heat.

Using a tablespoon and wet hands,
scoop enough risotto to form a
golf-ball-sized sphere; pack it firmly.

Roll the ball in the egg, then the bread-
crumb mixture and place it in the hot
oil. (The oil is ready when a piece
of breadcrumb dropped in sizzles.)
Repeat this process, frying balls 3 or
4 at a time, turning them carefully with
tongs as they brown and turn crispy.

When the balls are done on all sides,
remove them from the pan and place
them in the baking dish. Place the
baking dish in the oven to keep the
balls warm and serve as desired with
the marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese
and/or chopped fresh parsley/basil. ■
Keri White is a Philadelphia-based
freelance food writer.

Photos by Keri White
Keri White