Sicilian Arancini (Stuffed Rice Balls)

About This Recipe

Arancini — literally 'little oranges' for their burnished round shape — are the defining street food of Sicily and one of the great achievements of Italian frying. The base is a firm, deeply yellow saffron risotto cooked with butter and Parmigiano until it's stiff enough to mould, then chilled overnight so it can be shaped by hand. A walnut-sized core of slow-cooked meat ragù studded with peas and a cube of fresh mozzarella is buried in the middle of each ball, the rice closed around it, then the whole thing is rolled in flour, dipped in egg, and coated in coarse breadcrumbs before being lowered into 175°C oil until mahogany. The result is the great Sicilian theatre of textures: the crust crackles like glass, the rice underneath is hot and savoury, and the molten core erupts when you bite. In Palermo arancini are round; in Catania they're cone-shaped to honour Mount Etna; in Messina they're oval. They're sold in every friggitoria and rosticceria from breakfast until midnight, eaten standing up with a paper napkin wrapped around the bottom. Making them at home is a project — the rice must rest properly and the assembly is fiddly — but a tray of homemade arancini is one of the most generous, festive things you can put on a table.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 gArborio or Carnaroli rice (Carnaroli holds shape better)
• 1.5 Lhot chicken or vegetable stock, kept simmering
• 1 large pinchsaffron threads, bloomed in 3 tbsp warm stock (the colour is non-negotiable)
• 100 gParmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus 60 g unsalted butter
• 300 gbeef and pork ragù (slow-cooked, very thick), with 80 g peas stirred through
• 150 gfresh fior di latte mozzarella, drained well and cut in 1 cm cubes
• 120 gplain flour mixed with a pinch of salt, for dredging
• 3 largeeggs, beaten with 2 tbsp water
• 300 gcoarse dry breadcrumbs (pangrattato), not panko
• 2 Lneutral frying oil (sunflower or peanut), for deep-frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the risotto base

   Toast the rice in a heavy pan 2 minutes without fat, then add the saffron stock and start ladling in hot stock as for risotto, stirring every minute. Cook 16–18 minutes until just al dente and most liquid is absorbed; the mixture should be much drier than a normal risotto.

2. 2

   Finish and chill

   Off heat, beat in the butter and Parmigiano vigorously for 60 seconds — this 'mantecatura' makes the rice sticky enough to mould. Spread onto a tray to cool 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) so the rice firms completely.

3. 3

   Prepare the filling

   Make sure your ragù is very thick — almost a paste — and cold. If it's loose, reduce it 10 minutes more over medium heat. Drain the mozzarella cubes on kitchen paper for 30 minutes so they don't leak steam later and burst the arancini.

   A cold, dry filling is the single biggest factor in arancini that don't explode in the oil.

4. 4

   Shape the arancini

   With wet hands, scoop about 100 g of chilled rice and flatten into a disc on your palm. Press a teaspoon of ragù and a cube of mozzarella into the centre, then close the rice around the filling and roll firmly into a ball or cone. Aim for 8–10 arancini total, each the size of a small orange.

5. 5

   Triple-coat

   Roll each arancino in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip thoroughly in beaten egg, letting drips fall off. Finally roll in breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coat is even and complete — any gap will leak in the oil.

6. 6

   Heat the oil

   Heat the frying oil in a tall, narrow pot to 175°C (347°F) — verify with a thermometer; this temperature is critical. Too cool and the arancini will be greasy; too hot and the crust will burn before the centre is hot.

7. 7

   Fry in batches

   Lower 2–3 arancini at a time into the oil with a slotted spoon. Fry 5–6 minutes, rolling occasionally, until deep golden brown all over and the core has had time to melt. The oil temperature will dip — adjust the burner to hold 170–175°C.

8. 8

   Drain and rest

   Lift onto a wire rack set over a tray (not paper, which steams the crust). Rest 4 minutes — the inside is volcanic straight out of the oil. Serve hot, ideally with a dab more ragù on the side.

Variations

• •

  Arancini al burro — filled with butter, ham and béchamel instead of ragù; a Palermo speciality, gentler in flavour.

• •

  Catania-style — cone-shaped, filled with ragù and aubergine, topped before frying with a sliver of tomato to evoke Mount Etna erupting.

• •

  Vegetarian — fill with sautéed spinach, ricotta, and a cube of provola affumicata (smoked provolone).

• •

  Norcina-style — fill with sausage, cream and black truffle for an Umbrian crossover that's wildly indulgent.

Storage

Uncooked, shaped, breaded arancini freeze beautifully on a tray; once solid, bag them and freeze up to 3 months. Fry from frozen at 165°C for 9–10 minutes. Cooked arancini keep in the fridge 2 days; reheat in a 200°C oven 12 minutes (never microwave — the crust goes leathery).

Frequently Asked Questions