We’ve already seen Stanley Tucci work his magic with leftover pasta (hi, pancetta-pea farfalle baked in béchamel). Now, we’re drooling over his oh-so-comforting method for using up leftover risotto. The 62-year-old actor and cookbook author shared his hack with fans on Instagram.
We’re in Love with Stanley Tucci’s Hack for Repurposing Leftover Risotto
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Published Aug 29, 2023
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“I made risotto the other night, which I didn’t eat,” he says in the video, where he can be seen in his *stunning* kitchen wearing an apron and frying at the stove. “I turned it into risotto cakes. What I’ve done is…I’ve put some breadcrumbs in, two eggs, a little extra cheese, a little extra salt, put it into some homemade breadcrumbs mixed with some panko breadcrumbs. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Then I roll it, bread it and cook it in regular olive oil—not extra-virgin olive oil—and vegetable oil mixed.”
Mmm, mmm, mmm is right. He holds one of the risotto cakes up to the camera. It looks golden brown and impeccably crispy on the outside. (We’d pay to see the creamy, gooey interior.)
If you’re wondering why he uses regular olive oil instead of extra-virgin, it’s likely because EVOO has a lower smoke point, stronger flavor and better quality, so it’s better for raw applications. Regular olive oil has a higher smoke point and a generally lower price, so it’s better for frying and cooking. He cut it with vegetable oil as well, making it even more cost-effective.
“That’s what I’m going to have with a cocktail when my…brother-in-law and sister-in-law come back from their outing today. Isn’t that lovely, very exciting. Beautiful day here,” he adds.
Life is probably always lovely, exciting and beautiful when you’re eating Chef Stanley’s food, huh?
