I’ve posted a few recipes of Lidia Bastianich’s so I think it’s no secret that I’m a fan. I have  her cookbook, Lidia’s Favorite Recipes, and I’ve been slowing making my way through it. The arancini recipe has been catching my eye for a while now and I finally took the plunge and made them. Arancini are fried rice balls that are stuffed with lots of goodies which typically include mozzarella cheese and peas. This recipe has that as well as prosciutto.

Creamy arborio rice, crunchy peas, ooey gooey mozzarella. Yum. Arancini are typically served as appetizers. But these things are the size of softballs and quite filling. (I mean, it is like eating fried risotto, and risotto is filling on it’s own.) As an appetizer I would probably only eat one or two. And the recipe made about two dozen arancini! So my husband and I ate them as the main course. We served them with a mixed green salad with beets, white pear, toasted pepitas, and honey goat cheese. It was a great weekend treat!