A few weeks ago I made a risotto for dinner. It was a Spinach-Zucchini Risotto I invented back in 2010. Even without the arugula (which I did not have this time), it was almost as good as the original.

There was a little bit left over, but not enough for a meal for one person, so I decided to make Arancini, that signature Sicilian dish — effectively fried rice balls.

One of the advantages of this particular risotto is that it uses mozzarella, in addition to the traditional Parmesan. That makes it ideal for Arancini, because the cheese helps the rice balls to hold together well and not to fall apart. Served with a little Lucini tomato sauce from a jar, and accompanied by a glass of Odoardi’s Terra Damia Calabrian red wine, it was a perfect match.