Baked Arancini

Ingredients

4 cup / 1 L

cooked and cooled Arborio rice

1 cup / 250 g

Egg Creations Fat Free Original, well shaken and divided

1 cup / 250 ml

grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 cup / 50 ml

finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

2

cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp / 2 ml

each salt and pepper

2 oz / 60 g

mozzarella cut in 1/4-inch (5 mm) cubes

1/2 cup / 125 ml

crushed cornflakes (or cornflake crumbs)

Warm prepared marinara sauce

Directions

1. Gently stir the rice with half the eggs, half the Parmesan, the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 36 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Use a finger to make an indent in the centre of the ball. Stuff a cube of mozzarella in the centre and re-form the rice to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining rice balls and mozzarella.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°C (180°F). Place the remaining egg in a shallow bowl. Combine the crushed cornflakes and remaining Parmesan in a separate shallow bowl. Dip each ball in the egg and then in the crumb mixture. Arrange coated balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spray the balls lightly with cooking spray. (Discard any excess egg and crumb mixtures.)

3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and heated through. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping. Makes 36 rice balls.

Tips

1. A simple homemade marinara sauce is very easy to make: Heat olive oil in a skillet; add onion and garlic. Cook until softened; stir in chopped, canned tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Wetting your hands as you roll the rice into balls will make the assembly easier.

3. Add additional flavour accents to the rice balls such as basil pesto, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives etc.

4. Pulse about 2 cups (500 mL) cornflakes cereal in a food processor to achieve the amount of crumb needed to coat rice balls.