Hellim & Tomato Supplì Al Telefono & Basil “Ezme” Dipping Sauce
A crispy tomato & minty hellim (halloumi) risotto ball, filled with mozzarella which becomes soft, oozy and stretchy once these little wonders are fried - incredible. My friends and family LOVE these, and I often serve them as a starter if I’m hosting a more formal gathering, but they are also perfect served on platters at festive parties. So good, you can watch the recipe video here, please make it.
INGREDIENTS:
30g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ tsp salt
A few sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp double concentrate tomato puree
250g arborio rice
800ml chicken / vegetable broth / stock
½ tsp coarse black pepper
100g finely grated hellim (halloumi)
2 tsp dried mint
150g mozzarella, patted dry and cut into 20 cubes
1 large egg
100g plain flour
100g breadcrumbs
Light olive oil / sunflower / rice bran / rapeseed oil for frying
METHOD:
Firstly, make the risotto. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large deep frying pan on a low-medium heat, add the onions along with a pinch of salt and soften for 12-15 minutes or so until translucent. Add the thyme then the tomato purée and cook down the puree for a couple of minutes, stirring it into the softened onions. Add the arborio rice, stir well until fully coated in the tomatoey onions, then pour in ¼ of the broth / stock. Stir, and allow the risotto to gently simmer. When most of the liquid has reduced, add another 1/4, and continue for 20 mins or so until all the broth / stock has been mostly absorbed by the rice. Take the pan off the heat, stir through the hellim, dried mint and black pepper, then pour into a large shallow baking tray to cool down. Once cooled, if you have time, cover the dish and pop in fridge for a couple of hours to make them easier to roll. You can even leave the risotto in the fridge overnight.
Pat dry the mozzarella and cut into 20 equal cubes. Whisk the egg in a medium sized dhLllw bowl and leave to one side. Place the flour in a large plate and the breadcrumbs in a separate large plate.
Divide the risotto into 20 equal portions - place one of the portions into your palm, flatten the mixture a little, pop a mozzarella cube in the middle, wrap the risotto around the mozzarella cube and roll into a smooth ball. If the risotto is sticking to your hands too much, just wet your palms with a little bit of cold water to make them easier to shape and roll. Coat the stuffed risotto ball in a little flour, dusting off excess, lightly coat in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off bank into the bowl (I use a fork to lift the ball up with so the excess egg drops through the prongs of the fork), then gently roll and coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat until you have 20 supplì.
Heat up the oil in large frying pan, on medium heat until hot (around 190-200°c). Cook the supplì in batches of 4-5 (not to overcrowd pan), liberally and continuously spooning hot oil over the tops of them as they fry. Repeat until all the supplì have been cooked. Serve immediately(be careful), so the mozzarella is oozy and stretches as you bite into it.
TIPS:
•The Supplì can easily be made gluten free by using gluten free breadcrumbs. The ezme is also gluten free.
•You can fry the Supplì the day before you’re going to serve them, allow to cool and refrigerate (covered), then take out of the fridge 30 minutes before reheating. Reheat in the oven at 180°c fan / 200°c, uncovered on flat baking trays on the middle shelf, until piping hot (around 15-20 minutes but will depend on your oven - just ensure they are piping hot all the way through so the rice is fully reheated and the mozzarella is oozy again).
•The Supplì can also be frozen just before the part where you fry them - freeze on flat trays covered with clingfilm then pop into freezer bags. Take out as many as you need and defrost, covered on flat plates in the fridge overnight, and then fry just before you are ready to serve them so they are piping hot.
Basil “Ezme”
1-2 red chillies
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
30g fresh basil, leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
400 g (14 oz) can chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp dried mint
2 tsp pul biber
2 tsp summak
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes
Pinch of caster sugar
1 jar Passata
Whizz all the basil ezme ingredients together, bar a few small basil leaves (for garnish if making and serving the ezme on the same day), in a food processor. Add the ezme to a small frying pan, top up with the Passata, stir well and pop on the hob over a low-medium heat until piping hot, stirring occasionally. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
TIPS:
•If making in advance, allow the ezme to cool, then place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen and defrosted in the fridge overnight and reheated just before serving.
