Skillet Barley Arancini Cakes
Barley, spinach, and parmesan pressed into patties and crisped in a pan. Arancini without the fryer.
- calories
- 620
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 113
- protein
- 21 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 25 min
- total time
- 30 min
- water
- 600 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Canister stove
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Quick-cooking barley | 3/4 cup dry | the 10-minute kind, not pearl barley |
|---|---|---|
| Dried spinach flakes | 1/4 cup | freeze-dried or dehydrated |
| Grated parmesan | 1/3 cup | the shelf-stable shaker kind keeps for weeks |
| Powdered whole egg | 2 tbsp | plus 2 tbsp water to reconstitute |
| Plain or Italian breadcrumbs | 1/3 cup | |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | |
| Tomato paste | 2 tbsp | a squeeze tube travels better than a can |
| Dried oregano and garlic powder | 1 tsp total | |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Boil about 450 ml of water. Add the barley and dried spinach, cover, and simmer until the barley is soft and the water is gone, roughly 12 minutes. Add splashes of water if it goes dry early.
- Pull the pot off the heat and let it cool until you can touch it. Hot barley will scramble the egg.
- Stir 2 tbsp water into the egg powder, then fold it into the barley with the parmesan, breadcrumbs, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. It should hold together when you squeeze a handful. Add breadcrumbs a spoonful at a time if it does not.
- Press into six flat patties. Flat, not balls. Balls will not cook through in a pan.
- Wipe the pot out, warm the olive oil, and fry the patties over moderate heat, four minutes a side, until both faces are browned and firm.
- Thin the tomato paste with 150 ml of hot water and a pinch of salt for dipping.
Real arancini are deep-fried risotto balls, which is not a thing you do at camp. What actually makes them work is the binder: starchy grain, cheese, and egg holding a shape long enough to get a crust. All three of those exist in shelf-stable form, so the dish survives the trip intact.
The changes are the mozzarella, the fresh spinach, and the shape. Fresh mozzarella needs a fridge and a molten center needs an oven, so the parmesan does all the cheese work and the patties go flat to cook through in a pan. Let the barley cool before the egg goes in, or you get scrambled bits instead of glue.
Packing
Barley, spinach, parmesan, breadcrumbs, and seasonings go in one bag at home. Egg powder rides in its own small bag so it stays dry. Oil in a leakproof bottle, tomato paste in a tube.
Variations
- Swap the barley for instant couscous and cut the simmer to five minutes.
- A packet of shelf-stable pepperoni, chopped fine, folds in and adds fat and salt.
- No pan space? Skip the patties and eat it as a cheesy barley skillet with the tomato stirred through.
https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/oven-baked-spinach-and-barley-arancini-italian-rice-balls