Looking for some mid-week dinner inspo? Here we are sharing a mouthwatering Arancini, mushroom and smoked cheese dish. This is just one of the delicious recipes from our Basilico restaurant feature which you can find in our Summer Issue on shelves now.
Arancini with Porcini Mushrooms and Toonsbridge Smoked Scamorza Cheese
Recipe for 6 People
Ingredients
400g arborio rice
50g finely chopped onion
5g fresh thyme
25ml white wine
1L of warm vegetable stock to cook rice
30g dried porcini mushrooms
(rehydrated in 200ml of boiling water
and drained – keep the stock)
100g Toonsbridge smoked scamorza
cheese (grated)
50g parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Dry breadcrumbs
Eggs
Olive oil
Vegetable oil for frying
- Sweat the onions, thyme and chopped porcini mushrooms in olive oil until soft.
- Add rice and stir thoroughly until all grains are well coated with oil, then add the white wine and let it reduce.
- Add a little boiling stock and 1 scoop of the mushroom stock and gently cook adding more vegetable stock as required.
- Cook rice for approximately 14-15 minutes, once cooked season rice and pour into a shallow tray and let cool down.
- Once the risotto mix is cool, add 2 whole eggs, the Scamorza and parmesan cheese and mix well.
- With wet hands prepare little balls of approximately 45g each and put them in a separate tray.
- Whisk 3 eggs and leave them aside, prepare another tray with the breadcrumbs
- Mix your arancini balls in the egg wash mix, then coat them into the dry breadcrumbs and chill immediately for at least 1 hour before cooking.
- Warm up the vegetable oil into a large pan and gently fry the arancini until golden and hot in the centre.
- Shake off excess oil and serve with some garlic mayo (optional) and a glass of chilled white wine.

Enjoy!
Follow Basilcio on Instagram @basilicorestaurant_ and read the full feature in our Summer issue which is on shelves now!