Cheese-filled Risotto Croquettes With Tomato Sauce

Total Time: 24 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups leftover cooked risotto rice
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley or 2 tablespoons chives or 2 tablespoons oregano or 2 tablespoons basil
• 1 large egg yolk
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces mozzarella cheese or 5 ounces fontina cheese
• all-purpose flour (for dredging)
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 large egg whisked with 2 tbsp cold milk or 1 large water
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, combine the risotto with the parmesan, cream, herbs, and egg yolk. season with salt and pepper.
• 2 cut the cheese into 16 cubes. scoop up about 3 tbsp of the risotto mixture and pack it around a cube of cheese to make a croquette, a ball the size of a ping-pong ball. repeat to form 16 croquettes.
• 3 put the flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. dredge the croquettes in the flour, dip in the egg wash, and roll in the bread crumbs. chill thoroughly, 2-24 hours.
• 4 pour oil into a tall pot to a depth of 5 inches. heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 375°f on a deep-frying thermometer. deep-fry the croquettes in batches, without crowding, until they are evenly browned, 4-5 minutes. using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. serve on a pool of warmed tomato sauce.