Prepare the risotto the night before making your arancini. Use as little liquid as possible without skimping – this will make the risotto easier to handle and shape. I generally use 705-1000ml. Allow to cool and then place in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.

The next day, place your seasoned cornstarch in one shallow bowl, your breadcrumbs in another, then your milk in a final third bowl.

Take approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons* (I use Australian tablespoons, so use 2 tablespoons if you are in USA, Britain or New Zealand) of risotto in your hand and spread it into a thick disk. Place the mozzarella in the centre, then enclose the mozzarella in the risotto to form a ball. Make sure the mozzarella is firmly enclosed and not sticking out.

Place this arancino on a tray, then repeat with the remaining risotto until you have around 16 arancini.

Place the first arancino in the corn starch and very lightly coat it with corn starch. Dust off any excess flour, then place the arancino into the milk mixture. Coat the entire arancino with the milk and then allow any excess milk to drip off. Finally, place the arancino in the breadcrumbs and coat completely on all sides – the arancino should no longer feel wet. Transfer the arancino onto a cake rack and repeat with the remaining arancini until they are all coated.

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F. This is optional, but will help keep the arancini warm as you cook the remainder, and ensure that the mozzarella is cooked through and molten. It will also keep the arancini nice and crisp.

To deep fry, preheat a small, deep saucepan 2/3 filled with vegetable oil. The temperature of the oil should be roughly 170C/340F. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil with a small piece of bread. The bread should sizzle enthusiastically on contact with the oil.

Cook the arancini one at a time in the hot oil, turning them to ensure all sides are browned. Each arancini will take around 30-60 seconds, depending on the heat of oil. Turn the heat down if the arancini are browning too quickly.

Place the cooked arancini either back onto your cake rack or into the preheated oven. Repeat this process with the remainder of the arancini.