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Arancini with Cotechino and Lentils

26/11/2023

Arancini with cotechino and lentils are a creative and unusual variant that combines the tradition of classic Sicilian arancini with the typical New Year’s Eve dinner in Italy, where cotechino and lentils are a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Ingredients

  • 200 g of risotto rice (such as Arborio or Carnaroli)
  • 150 g of pre-cooked cotechino
  • 100 g of dry lentils (or 200 g if already cooked)
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1l of vegetable broth
  • 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • Breadcrumbs as needed
  • Flour as needed
  • Salt and pepper as needed
  • Oil for frying
  • Butter (optional)
  • White wine (for deglazing, optional)
  • Saffron (optional, to color the rice)

Preparation

  1. Begin by preparing the risotto: in a pot, sauté some chopped onion with oil and a knob of butter if you like. Add the rice and toast it until it becomes translucent. If desired, you can deglaze with white wine. Continue cooking the risotto with the vegetable broth, adding a ladleful at a time as it is absorbed. Halfway through cooking, add saffron for a typical Milanese risotto.
  2. While the risotto cooks, boil the lentils in water with an onion, a carrot, and a celery stalk until tender, then drain and season them with a little oil and salt.
  3. Cut the pre-cooked cotechino into small cubes and pan-fry until crispy.
  4. When the risotto is ready and still al dente, remove it from the heat, add the grated Parmesan, a knob of butter to cream it, and let it cool.
  5. Beat the eggs in a bowl and keep the breadcrumbs ready in another.
  6. To form the arancini, take a portion of risotto, flatten it on your hand, and place some lentils and a few pieces of cotechino in the center. Close the risotto around the filling, forming a ball or cone.
  7. Dredge the arancini in flour, then dip in the beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
  8. Fry the arancini in hot oil until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Trivia

The use of cotechino with lentils in this recipe exemplifies how you can combine two traditional elements in a new and surprising way. Moreover, arancini are often associated with celebrations and special occasions, making this variant particularly suitable for end-of-year celebrations or to sweeten the start of the new year with a touch of luck.