Italian Desserts Recipes - Spiced Risotto Cakes with Plum Compote Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk

• 1/4 cup superfine sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• freshly grated nutmeg

• 2/3 cup risotto rice

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 3/4 cup amaretti biscuits, crushed all-purpose flour, for dusting

• vegetable oil, for frying

• mint sprigs, to decorate

• lightly whipped cream or crème fraiche, to serve (optional) 

Compote:

• 1/4 cup superfine sugar

• 1 1/4 cups water

• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 1 pound plums, halved

Serves 4

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Method:

1. To make the risotto cakes, put the milk in a large, heavy-based saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and bring almost to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer gently, stirring frequently, for about 25-35 minutes or until the rice is creamy but the grains are still firm. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, to make the compote, put the sugar in a saucepan with the water and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

3. Add the lemon zest and juice and the plums and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the plums are tender.

4. Put the beaten egg on a plate and the crushed biscuits on another. When the risotto is cool enough to handle, shape it into 8 small cakes using lightly floured hands. Coat first in the beaten egg and then in the biscuit crumbs.

5. Heat a 1/4 inch of oil in a frying pan and fry the risotto cakes very gently for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden.

6. Drain on paper towels and serve with the compote, decorated with mint sprigs and accompanied by lightly whipped cream or crème fraiche, if desired.