Cacio e Pepe Arancini with Pesto Mayo
Makes 8 large arancini · Prep: 30 minutes · Cook: 50 minutes · Total: about 1 hour 20 minutes, plus chilling
These arancini are easiest to make over two days. Cook the risotto ahead and chill it overnight, then shape, bread, and fry them the next day. Once cold, the rice firms up enough to hold together without much trouble. Pecorino and black pepper season the filling, with pesto mayo on the side for dipping.
Ingredients
Risotto
- 3 to 3½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ¼ cup dry white wine, optional
- ¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Small pinch of crushed red pepper
- ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano, divided
- Salt, as needed
Breading and frying
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Canola, vegetable, or peanut oil, for frying
Pesto mayo
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- A small piece of garlic, finely grated
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water
- Crushed red pepper, for serving
To finish
- Finely grated Pecorino
- Coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Warm the broth
Warm the broth in a small pot and keep it over low heat.
- 2
Soften the shallot
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until softened but not browned.
- 3
Toast the rice
Stir in the rice and toast for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cook until the pan is nearly dry.
- 4
Add the broth gradually
Add about ½ cup of warm broth. Stir every so often, then add another ½ cup once most of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite, 18 to 22 minutes. For arancini, the risotto needs to be quite thick — a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pan should leave the space open for a second before the rice settles back.
- 5
Season the risotto
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, ½ cup Pecorino, the black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Taste before adding salt, since Pecorino is already salty.
- 6
Chill the risotto
Spread the risotto over a baking sheet or two large plates. Let it cool until it is no longer steaming, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- 7
Make the pesto mayo
Mix the mayonnaise, pesto, lemon juice, and garlic. Add a teaspoon of water, then a little more if needed, until it's loose enough for dipping but not runny. Cover and refrigerate.
- 8
Shape the arancini
Scrape the cold risotto into a bowl and mix in the remaining ¼ cup Pecorino. Divide it into 8 portions, using a packed ⅓ cup for each one. With damp hands, squeeze each portion firmly and shape it into a short oval about 2½ inches long. If the rice is unusually soft and won't hold together, mix in 2 tablespoons of panko and try again.
- 9
Freeze briefly
Freeze the shaped arancini for 20 minutes. They should feel firm, but they do not need to freeze solid.
- 10
Set up the breading station
Put the flour in one shallow bowl. Beat the eggs with the water in another. Mix the panko and salt in a third.
- 11
Bread the arancini
Coat one arancino in flour and shake off the excess. Dip it in the egg, then press it into the panko, making sure the ends and sides are completely covered. For a thicker, rougher crust, dip it in the egg and panko once more without adding another layer of flour. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- 12
Chill the breaded arancini
Refrigerate the breaded arancini for 20 to 30 minutes. This gives the coating time to settle and makes it less likely to come loose in the oil.
- 13
Heat the oil and test-fry
Pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep, heavy pot, leaving plenty of room at the top, and heat it to 350°F. Fry one arancino first, lowering it into the oil carefully and cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, turning it once or twice — the outside should brown gradually rather than becoming dark within the first minute. Cut the test piece open; the center should be hot and soft. If the crust browned before the middle heated through, lower the oil to about 340°F.
- 14
Fry the rest
Fry the remaining arancini two or three at a time, letting the oil return to 350°F before adding the next batch. Move the finished arancini to a wire rack rather than paper towels, which keeps the bottoms from getting soft.
- 15
Finish and serve
Grate Pecorino over the arancini while they are still hot, followed by a little black pepper. Spoon the pesto mayo into a small bowl and scatter a few crushed red pepper flakes over the top. Serve the arancini right away.
Recipe notes
Cook’s notes
- Carnaroli is the best substitute for Arborio rice. Avoid jasmine, basmati, or other long-grain rice.
- No white wine? Use another ¼ cup broth instead, then stir 1 teaspoon lemon juice into the risotto after cooking.
- Breaded arancini also freeze well — freeze on a tray, then move to a freezer bag. Fry straight from frozen at about 340°F, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
Swaps & substitutions
- Parmesan can replace the Pecorino Romano, though it's milder — add a little more black pepper and salt to taste.
- For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko.
Make ahead & storage
- Refrigerated store-bought pesto works fine for the sauce, and regular breadcrumbs can stand in for panko, though the crust will be finer and less craggy.
- The cooked risotto can be refrigerated for up to two days before shaping. The shaped, unbreaded arancini keep in the refrigerator overnight, but bread them the day you plan to fry.
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