Party Starters: Cheesy Italian Arancini

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® & Lactalis American Group but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MealSolutionMatch http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

This weekend was such a good one!  Mike and I headed up to Connecticut on Thursday night to surprise his dad for his 60th birthday (shhh, don't tell him I told y'all his age).  We helped plan a party for him and a whole weekend of fun.  Food is always central to our get-togethers, and I have one of my absolute favorite party appetizer recipes to share with you today.

We shopped for all of the following ingredients at Stop & Shop:
1 cup Barilla Orzo
1 Johnsonville Italian Sausage link
3/4 cup Galbani Mozzarella Cheese
4 eggs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
oil for frying
Barilla Tomato and Basil Sauce

Directions:
1. Boil water in a medium saucepan for the Barilla Orzo - Italy’s #1 brand of pasta!  Salt the water and cook the orzo for 13-14 minutes.  You want the orzo to be beyond al dente for this recipe.  Allow the cooked orzo to cool completely.
2. Remove the casing from the sausage link, fry it in a saucepan until done, and drain the grease.  All the spices and flavors are built into the sausage – making this recipe even easier.
3. Shred 3/4 cup of Galbani Mozzarella Cheese and mix with the cooked sausage.  Did you know that the shredding usage represents almost 1/3 of the total usage according to a recent consumer usage study?
4. Combine the cooled orzo, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper in a large bowl.
5. In three separate bowls, pour the rest of the breadcrumbs, whisk the egg, and salt and pepper (1 teaspoon of each) the flour.
6. To assemble the arancini, take a heaping spoonful of the orzo mixture, press your finger into the center of it, stuff with 1 teaspoon of sausage and cheese mixture, pinch the orzo around the filling to close, and finish by rolling in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
7. Place the arancini on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour.
8. Heat up one inch of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees.
9. Fry three aranicini at a time, turning to ensure they are cooked evenly, for approximately three and a half minutes.
10. Remove the aranici from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.  Season with salt immediately.
11. To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons of Barilla sauce in ramekins and top with one arancini pasta ball.  Did you know that Barilla makes pasta sauce now, too? New Barilla sauces are only made from ingredients like vine-ripened tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and fragrant herbs, all slowly simmered, to bring authentic flavor into every bite.

There you have it!  I created a fun fall-themed chalkboard tray on which to serve these rice balls, and it's the perfect way to welcome guests to your party!

When you stop by your nearest Stop & Shop between 10/21-10/27 and purchase Barilla Pasta, Johnsonville Italian Sausage and Galbani Cheese, you’ll automatically save $3 at checkout with your store loyalty card! While supplies last.