Spezie Spiced Arancini

Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty. Meanwhile heat the stock in a separate pan and add it to the rice a little at a time, stirring continuously (like making risotto). Cook for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked. After the last addition of stock keep stirring the rice over the heat until it is dryish (though it will be creamy). Add the salt and the parmesan cheese. Tip the rice onto a clean board and spread it out. Leave it to cool, but don't let it set.

To make the bechamel sauce put the milk in a saucepan with the spices and bay leaf and heat gently until the milk feels hot on the finger. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Melt the butter is a small saucepan, then mix in the flour. Cook gently, stirring for a minute and then strain on the milk. Whisk to blend together and then cook gently until it thickens. Set aside to cool.

Put the rice in a bowl and blend in the egg yolks and the Spezie. Wet your hands and spread 1-2 tablespoons of the rice in the palm of your cupped hand. Put on a blob of bechamel sauce and a piece of bocconcini or mozzarella and then another blob of bechamel sauce. Cover with 1-2 tablespoons of rice and mould into a ball squeezing gently. This is sticky but easy to do. When all the arancini are rolled pass each one through the beaten egg and coat it in breadcrumbs. You can crumb the arancini and hour or two ahead of time. Leave at room temperature. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and fry the arancini in small batches. Cook them for several minutes until they are a golden-brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot or warm.