leftover risotto? pancakes!

Risotto is fantastic.  I love it dearly.  But I have to admit… I kind of get more excited about the leftovers.  Risotto pancakes are little bites of perfect crispy golden-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside awesome.

They make a wonderful appetizer, lunch, snack… I eat them for breakfast.  What I’m saying is, there is no time that is not a good time for risotto pancakes.

I’ve also included a simple tomato basil sauce that I like to dip the pancakes in.

Makes 16 portions

Basic risotto recipe here.

risotto pancakes with quick tomato basil sauce

ingredients

sauce

• 1 400ml can good quality crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 8 large basil leaves, chopped

risotto pancakes

• 16 heaping tbsp risotto (about 2 c)
• 1 1/2 c panko
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided

preparation

sauce

Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, sautee until onions are soft.  Add tomato, basil and lemon juice.  Simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes.

risotto pancakes

While the sauce is simmering, get three plates.  Put the flour on one, egg on another and a mixture of panko, oregano, salt and 2 tbsp olive oil on the other.

Take a heaping tablespoon of risotto and roll it into a ball.  Dredge it in the flour, then egg, then in the panko mixture.  Set aside on a plate and repeat, making 16 balls.

Cook the pancakes in 2 batches.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat.  Place 8 of the risotto balls on the pan and press down gently on them to flatten slightly.  Cook until they’re golden brown then turn over and cook the other side to the same golden brown.  Repeat with the second batch.

Serve warm with sauce.  You can pour the sauce over them if you like, I prefer to serve it on the side so the crust on the pancakes doesn’t get soggy.

basic risotto

It’s risotto.

It’s delicious.

Make sure you have leftovers because this…

Serves 8 as side dish

$3 per 2 servings

basic risotto

ingredients

• 750g arborio rice
• 1/2 c (50g) grated pecorino romano
• 1/2 c (50g) asiago
• 6 c vegetable broth
• 2 glasses dry white wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 c (about 4) shallots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 nub of butter

preparation

Heat broth to just below a simmer.

In a separate pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add shallots and garlic.  Sautee until soft.  Turn heat up to medium high, add rice and cook until most of the rice gets clear around the edges.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add white wine and stir gently and constantly (sort of ‘massage’ the rice) until white wine has been absorbed.  Add hot broth by the ladle-full, continuing to stir gently.  Each time liquid is mostly absorbed add a new ladle-full.  Do this until broth is used up and/or rice is tender.

Add asiago & romano cheeses.  Add butter.  Stir until melted and creamy.

Serve warm.