APPETIZERS AND DIPS - BAKED ARANCINI

Baked Arancini

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup shredded cheese (can be cheddar cheese, Asiago, Romano etc.), plus two tablespoons for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons of dried basil

1/2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

1 envelope sazon

                 3 eggs

                 2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon salt

                 1 Tablespoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Add the rice to a mixing bowl, along with the shredded cheese, basil, crushed red pepper, olive oil, salt and pepper and sazon.

Crack three eggs into a separate bowl, and mix along with 1 tablespoon of oil.

Using your hands, roll two tablespoons of the rice mixture into a ball shape, dip and coat in the egg mixture, and then dip and coat in the bread crumbs.

  Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet into the oven for 15 minutes; after 15 minute, flip the arancini over and bake for another 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and enjoy with tomato sauce, salsa or tomatillo sauce.

Note: you could also add prosciutto, ham or sausage to the rice mixture or other fresh veggies as you would like.  You also could  add chunks of cheese to the middle of the rice mixture.

Use your creativity and the

Baked Arancini

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup shredded cheese (can be cheddar cheese, Asiago, Romano etc.), plus two tablespoons for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons of dried basil

1/2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

1 envelope sazon

                 3 eggs

                 2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon salt

                 1 Tablespoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Add the rice to a mixing bowl, along with the shredded cheese, basil, crushed red pepper, olive oil, salt and pepper and sazon.

Crack three eggs into a separate bowl, and mix along with 1 tablespoon of oil.

Using your hands, roll two tablespoons of the rice mixture into a ball shape, dip and coat in the egg mixture, and then dip and coat in the bread crumbs.

  Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet into the oven for 15 minutes; after 15 minute, flip the arancini over and bake for another 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and enjoy with tomato sauce, salsa or tomatillo sauce.

Note: you could also add prosciutto, ham or sausage to the rice mixture or other fresh veggies as you would like.  You also could  add chunks of cheese to the middle of the rice mixture.

Use your creativity and the ingredients you hava available to enhance the original recipe.

Arancini was first sold fried on the Ferry in between Italy and Sicily as a snack.