Arancini di Riso

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups boiling chicken stock
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 ounces finely chopped ham
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring until onion is soft but not browned. Pour in the rice, and cook stirring for 2 minutes, then stir in the wine, and continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has evaporated. Add hot chicken stock to the rice 1/3 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until the liquid has evaporated before adding more.

2. When the chicken stock has all been added, and the liquid has evaporated, stir in the peas and ham. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the risotto to a bowl, and allow to cool slightly.

3. Stir the beaten egg into the risotto. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and milk with a fork. For each ball, roll 2 tablespoons of the risotto into a ball. Press a piece of the mozzarella cheese into the center, and roll to enclose. Coat lightly with flour, dip into the milk mixture, then roll in bread crumbs to coat.

4. Heat oil for frying in a deep-fryer or large deep saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry the balls in small batches until evenly golden, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven while the rest are frying.

Principessa Gavia • Gavi • 2009 • Piedmont, Italy • 2514432

Grape: Cortese

appearance - bright, clear

color : pale straw

aroma - faint

flavors (smell + taste)

sweetness - dry

acidity - defined

oak -

fruit - limes

earth - grass • mineral

body - light

tannins -

alcohol - 12.5%

serving notes - remove from refrigerator and allow to stand for al least 15 minutes. Opens up as it warms.

• Originating in the Piedmont region of Italy, Gavi is a light, refreshing white wine that is often outshone by the region's powerful reds. But Gavi owes its very existence to the fact that it is different. In the 19th Century, the Marchese Cambiaso, sought to set his wine apart from all of the local reds and planted his vineyards with the white grape Cortese. You may have heard of this grape. In another incarnation, it goes by the name Martini and Rossi Vermouth.