Four Cheese Rice Croquettes

Name: Four Cheese Rice Croquettes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Roma rice 1 ½ cup; Gorgonzola cheese 5.3 oz; Emmentaler cheese 2.6 oz; Provolone cheese 2.7 oz; Shallot 1; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Vegetable broth to taste; Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup; Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.8 oz; Saffron 0 oz; Sunflower seed oil 3 ¼ cups; Eggs 2; Breadcrumbs to taste

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Makes: 12 pezzi
Cost: Low
Note + the time to cool the rice and filling (and the time to prepare the vegetable broth)

PRESENTATION

The rice croquettes are a really tasty appetizer, perfect to enjoy with company! Today we show you an even more delicious variant: four cheese rice croquettes. To prepare them, the first thing you need to do is make a good risotto and let it cool completely so that it becomes moldable. To cream it, we used 3 cheeses: Emmentaler, provolone, and gorgonzola, while the fourth cheese, Grana Padano DOP, is found inside the filling made with cream and saffron. The secrets to perfect croquettes that don't open during cooking are 3: the rice must be cold, then it should be well compacted, and lastly, the croquettes need to be perfectly breaded. By following our recipe, you'll get crispy and super tasty four cheese rice croquettes!

INGREDIENTS

for 12 croquettes: Roma rice 1 ½ cup (320 g); Gorgonzola cheese 5.3 oz (150 g); Emmentaler cheese 2.6 oz (75 g); Provolone cheese 2.7 oz (75 g); Shallot 1; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Vegetable broth to taste

for the filling: Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup (100 g); Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g); Saffron 0 oz (0.15 g)

for breading and frying: Sunflower seed oil 3 ¼ cups (700 g); Eggs 2; Breadcrumbs to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Four Cheese Rice Croquettes

To prepare the four cheese rice croquettes, start by making the vegetable broth following our recipe and keep it warm. Move on to the risotto. Finely chop the shallot 1, then place it in a large saucepan with a drizzle of oil 2. Stew over low heat for about 4-5 minutes 3.

Now add the rice to the pan 4 and toast it for a few minutes. Cook the rice by adding the hot broth little by little 5. Always wait for the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladle of broth 6.

In the meantime, cut the Emmentaler 7 and provolone 8 into cubes. Once the rice is cooked, season with salt and turn off the heat, then add the provolone cubes 9.

Also add the Emmentaler 10 and gorgonzola 11 and mix well to cream the rice until all the cheeses are melted 12.

Transfer the rice onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 13 and level it out 14. Cover with plastic wrap and let it cool in the fridge. Now focus on the filling. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat it up. Add the grated Grana Padano DOP 15 and mix.

Also add the saffron 16 and mix to dissolve it completely 17. Cook over low heat for about 5-6 minutes until it thickens 18.

Let it cool for about 15 minutes, then use a spoon to form 12 balls with the help of 2 teaspoons and transfer them one by one onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 19. When the rice is cold, take a small portion and spread it onto the palm of your hand 20. Place a filling ball in the center 21.

Now fold the rice over to cover the filling 22 and shape it into a croquette. Do this to form all the croquettes; with these quantities, you'll get 12 croquettes. Move on to the breading. Beat the eggs with a bit of pepper. Coat the croquettes, one by one, first in the egg 23 and then in the breadcrumbs 24.

They need to be well coated on all sides 25. Continue this way to bread all the croquettes and place them on a tray 26. Heat the oil in a tall pot to a temperature of 340°F. Immerse a few pieces at a time 27, so as not to lower the temperature too much.

Fry the croquettes for 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown 28. Drain and transfer them onto a sheet of kitchen paper 29. Serve your four cheese croquettes while still hot 30!