"cheese balls" news and stories

Risotto tastes more savory with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Rice and cheese can be a rich and lusciously creamy combination. For this reason, Supplì al Telefono, fried rice balls stuffed with mozzarella, is one of my favorite Roman dishes. Its rich taste and mouthwatering texture are an intense culinary delight.

Supplì al Telefono is often made with both Parmigiano and mozzarella. I first tried it at a restaurant in Piazza del Popolo, in Rome. I was pleasantly overwhelmed with cheese and rice. I would hardly compare these balls of cheese to American mozzarella sticks. The addition of rissoto and oregano creates a totally unique aromatic milky texture. In his book Molto Italiano, Mario Batali states "These suppli' have a cult that is all their own; you will find us strutting down the streets of the Eternal City, stretching strings of mozzarella from our hands to our gluttonous mouths."

While you can find this Roman gastronomic treat at several Italian restaurants, it's easy enough to make on your own. And, you can make several different variations. Gourmet has a recipe that uses mushroom risotto. Mario Batali's recipe calls for porcini mushrooms, prosciutto, and San Marzano tomatoes. Supplì al Telefono are the perfect appetizer when entertaining. Next time, you're thinking of eating a melted cheese dish, take out your leftover risotto and concoct these stuffed rice balls.

While I'm sure some foods of the past will stay firmly in the galleries of regrettable foods, or so I hope, some wrench themselves out of the tacky and make a new gourmet place for themselves. Cheese has already gone back to the fondue, but what about the cheese ball?

They're still available in stores, they have their own special day, Amy Sedaris digs them, and they pop up here and there at parties, but as the AP/Dallas Morning News says: "this classic party food earned an ugly reputation it's been mostly unable to shake – an orange softball filled with garish industrial cheeses, smacking of an untraceable sweetness, and coated with stale, often soggy, nuts." The piece goes on to discuss the intricacies of a cheese ball and how to make your own globe of cheesy goodness. But their best bit of advice: use a tablespoon and make bite-sized balls.

Think of the party possibilities! You can make a variety of outer layers and they're much easier to grab by guests -- no trying to hold a drink while cutting cheese and trying to slop it onto a cracker. You can have nutty outsides for the nut-friends and other outsides for the allergy-laden. There are tons of options.

Are you ready to open your arms to the cheese ball?

First off, that's not some chapter from a "how-to spice up things in the bedroom" book. It's a recipe from Martha Stewart.

Cheese balls are old hat. You can go to any supermarket and buy a variety of them now. But these put a nice twist on the usual cheese ball recipe that might intrigue your Super Bowl guests (go Pats!). It uses a base recipe for all three of the different cheese balls, and then you add some flavor combos, including cheddar and cranberry, Roquefort and walnut, and goat cheese and scallions.