Turkey, Bacon & Cranberry Arancini with Grana Padano Riserva

Arancini are traditionally a Sicilian snack but are popular throughout Italy and the world. These fried risotto balls can be flavoured with various fillings, from cheese to ragù. This is my festive take on them, which I’ve created as part of Grana Padano’s Festive Tastemaker programme. They are a great way to use up leftover turkey, and while cranberries are by no means traditional, they add a lovely sweetness against the glorious umami of the Grana Padano Riserva.

Grana Padano Riserva cheese is aged for over 20 months and has an incredible depth of flavour. It’s excellent on its own on a cheeseboard, and I love it in these arancini for the pure depth of flavour it gives.

Grana Padano is a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) meaning only this cheese made in the production area in the Pianura Padana, in the Po River Valley in northern Italy, can use the name. it’s now the best-selling PDO cheese in the world - for a reason.

Recipe created in paid partnership with Grana Padano

Turkey, Bacon and Cranberry Arancini with Grana Padano Riserva

(Makes around 25 arancini)

Ingredients

250g arborio rice

1 white onion, diced

150g leftover cooked turkey (or chicken), finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

150ml white wine

2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped

80g dried cranberries, roughly chopped

750ml turkey stock

150g Grana Padano Riserva, grated

Olive oil

1 egg, beaten

150g panko breadcrumbs

100g plain flour

500ml vegetable oil for deep frying

3tbsp mayonnaise

1tbsp pesto

Method

1. Warm the turkey stock in a saucepan on a low heat

2. In a separate wide pan, fry the diced onion in olive oil over a medium heat until soft. Add garlic and bacon and cook for a further 5 minutes

3. Add the risotto rice and half of the cranberries and stir to coat every grain of rice in the oil. Add the white wine and stir occasionally until most of the liquid has been absorbed

4. Add the turkey stock, a ladle at a time, and stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed before adding another.  After 10 minutes add the remaining cranberries

5. Once all the stock has been absorbed (after about 15 minutes), check the rice. It should have a bit of bite but not be chalky - if it is, add another ladle of hot water, stir until it is absorbed, check again.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the Grana Padano Riserva until it is all mixed in.

7. Once cool, refrigerate the risotto mixture for at least two hours. Once cold, scoop a spoonful of risotto and form it into a ball the size of a golf ball. Repeat until all the risotto is gone - you can keep half of the mixture in the fridge until it is ready to form into balls as it is easier to handle when cold.

8. Heat oil in a saucepan to 160C - a breadcrumb should bubble within a couple of seconds of being added to it.

9. In three separate bowls, prepare the flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Take a risotto ball, place it in the flour and then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Remove to a plate and rest for five minutes. Repeat until all of the risotto balls are all coated.

10. Carefully place the coated risotto balls into the hot oil, ensuring you do not overcrowd the pan, and fry for around five minutes, until the balls are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel. Repeat the process until all of the coated risotto balls have been fried.

11. Serve the arancini with grated Grana Padano Riserva and a tomato dipping sauce or, if preferred a pesto mayonnaise by mixing mayonnaise and pesto together.

This recipe was created as part of a paid partnership.