Herby Arancini With Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

• 250g arborio rice
• 4 cups chicken stock, hot
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 100g parmesan, finely grated
• 10g parsley, chopped
• 10g basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 150g flour
• 300g bread crumbs
• 150g mozzarella cubed for filling (optional)

• 400g cherry tomatoes
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Basil, chopped
• Extra parmesan for serving

Heat a Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick 30cm Frying Pan with Helper Handle over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add all the arborio rice and stir, making sure every grain is coated. Pour in 2 ladles full of hot stock and stir continuously over low heat. When the stock is absorbed, repeat this process with more stock and continue until the rice is cooked to al dente and the stock is finished.

Add the grated parmesan and season to taste. Transfer the risotto to a large flat dish. Allow the risotto to cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the spicy tomato sauce. Heat a Toughened Non-Stick Saucepan with a splash of olive oil, add the tomatoes and cook until they start to burst; add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sugar and season. Cook out over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add 300ml water and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened, stirring the sauce every now and then. Allow the sauce to cool. Add the chopped basil just before serving at room temperature.

Once the risotto is cooled, remove it from the fridge. Add the chopped herbs and stir through. Roll tablespoons full of the risotto mixture into neat balls and add the cubed mozzarella into the centre of each ball at this point if you are adding.

Place the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. To pane the arancini, start by coating it in flour and shaking off any excess. Secondly, coat in beaten egg and use a fork to get rid of any excess. Lastly, coat the arancini in breadcrumbs. Repeat this with the remaining arancini.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a few breadcrumbs into it; if they sizzle, the oil is ready. Fry a few arancini at a time, making sure to get an even golden colour on each one. Once golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining arancini and serve warm with the spicy tomato sauce on your Le Creuset Pokémon Tableware Set Poké Ball and Master Ball.