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Blistered cherry tomato and scamorza arancini and ajvar
Serves 4-6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 500g cherry tomatoes
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- 800ml good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
- 70g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 350g Carnaroli risotto rice
- 150ml dry white wine
- 100g Italian hard cheese, grated
- 250g scamorza cheese
- 150g flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 250g panko breadcrumbs
- 500ml sunflower oil, for deep frying
For the ajvar dip
- 1 small aubergine (approx. 350g), diced
- 3 red peppers
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2tsp red wine vinegar
- 1-2tbsp harissa paste (optional)
Method
Several hours (or a day) before, preheat the oven to 210C/ 190C F/Gas 6. Lay the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with 50ml oil and season. Bake for 15 minutes or so, until softened and blistered here and there. Transfer to a pan, then add the stock and bring to a simmer over a gentle heat.
Heat another 50ml oil and 30g of the butter in a deep frying pan or wok. Add the onion and shallots and cook for 8-10 minutes over a gentle heat until they are starting to soften but haven’t taken on any colour. Add the rice to the frying pan or wok and stir until all the grains are coated and glossy. Add the wine and stir constantly until it has been fully absorbed.
Add a good ladleful of hot stock, and bubble until it has been absorbed, stirring constantly. Add another ladleful of stock and stir again until it has been absorbed. Continue in this way until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy but still has a little bite.
Stir in the grated cheese and the remaining butter.
Allow the risotto to cool, then transfer to the fridge for a few hours or overnight until completely cold and firm.
To make the dip, scatter the aubergine dice over a baking tray. Add the peppers to the baking tray and drizzle with the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Roast for around 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the peppers are lightly golden here and there. Remove from the oven, whiz to a chunky purée in a food processor, then stir in the garlic, vinegar and harissa, if using. Season with sea salt flakes and set aside.
To make the arancini, roll the cold, firm rice into balls the size of golf balls until all the rice is used up. Cut the scamorza into the same number of cubes and push one into the centre of each ball. Put the flour on a plate, and the egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Roll each ball first in the flour, then dip into the egg and then evenly coat each ball in breadcrumbs.
Heat the sunflower oil in a deep pan or wok to 190C. (If you don’t have a cook’s thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the pan and when you see small bubbles starting to appear at the base of the handle, the oil should be hot enough).
Fry the arancini for 4-5 minutes until golden and hot all the way through, then drain on kitchen paper and serve with the ajvar.
This recipe was taken from the March 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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