Recipe for Risotto Balls

Making risotto balls was on my ‘I want to make it’ list for a long time! I love risotto a lot, it’s so creamy and goes great with some of my favorite ingredients like mushrooms and truffle. Risotto is often one of the few dishes that are vegetarian on the menu of the more classical restaurants, so it’s a good thing I like it so much!
If you’re Dutch or if you’ve lived in the Netherlands for a while, I’m sure you know ‘bitterballen’. These balls that that are a round version of croquettes are made with a ragú from meat. With risotto you can make delicious vegetarian bitterballen! These risotto bitterballen are great for vegetarians who miss bitterballen sometimes or for the flexitarians who want to eat more conscious.
Besides, it’s a great way to use your left-over risotto! I made risotto for 4 people, we ate 2 portions for dinner and I used the left-overs for these risotto balls.

I made these risotto balls with the Risotto Boscaiolo from Oil & Vinegar. It’s Arborio rice, known for soaking up the broth really well to get a creamy risotto. The package already has mixed mushrooms, herbs and spices in the risotto, so you don’t need to add much more.
I prepared the whole risotto package, added extra mushrooms and spinach to half of the portion for dinner and I let the other half cool overnight. The next day I made these risotto balls with the cooled down risotto.

Recipe Risotto Balls
Ingredients:
1 package of Risotto Boscaiolo
900 ml (3.8 cups) vegetable broth
125 grams (1/2 cup) of flour
1 egg, whisked
125 grams (1/2 cup) cup of breadcrumbs or panko
Olive oil (for frying)

To prepare the risotto warm some olive oil in a pan, add the risotto and stir for 2 minutes on low fire. Add 1/4th of the broth, stir the risotto until the broth has been soaked up. Repeat this several times untill you’ve finished the vegetable broth. Occasionally stir on low fire for about 15 minutes.
You can use half of the risotto for dinner. Let the other half cool down before you go to the next step.

Heat a layer of about 5 cm olive oil in a pan. Put the flour, whisked egg and breadcrumbs in 3 plates. Make balls from the risotto (it’s easier if your hands are a bit wet). Roll the balls in the flour, than the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Put them in the warm oil for about 1 minute.
Serve the risotto balls with your favorite dip.