When we return home from a foreign country, we bring back more than photos and souvenirs. We carry a flavor memory. A dish shared late at night, a pastry eaten standing up, something so simple and perfect it follows us home. Sooner or later, we try to recreate it.
Today, we’re inviting you to do just that with a classic: arancine, a perfect example of sicilian street food.
These golden rice balls are humble and generous by nature. They welcome just about any filling, whether rich and meaty or entirely vegetarian, shaped by whatever happens to be in your kitchen that day. Below, you’ll find a particularly indulgent version made with a mix of meats—but like all good rustic recipes, it’s meant to be adapted, shared, and made your own.
What You Will Need
Ingredients:
- 2 liters drinkable water
- 2 lbs of Arborio rice*
- 7 oz (200g) of unsalted butter
- 7 oz (200g )of parmigiano reggiano
- flour
- seed oil
FILLING:
- 5 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup of white wine
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lb of ground beef*
- 1 lb of ground pork
- 1 liter of strained tomatoes
- salt and pepper
Equipment:
- 1 sauce pot
- 1 stock pot
- 1 fryer (or a 6″ tall pot)
Cooking Instructions
1. Add the olive oil to the stock pot over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is heated, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
3. Stir and cook the veggies until the onion is golden.
4. Add the two lbs of ground meats, stirring until well-mixed. Cover the pot with a lid.
5. When all the liquid from the meat dissipates, add the wine. Once the alcohol evaporates, add the strained tomatoes, pepper, and a generous amount of salt to flavor the meat! Cover.
6. Reduce to a simmer and stir every twenty minutes for an hour and a half.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool down fully. You can speed this along by transferring into a large bowl and placing in the fridge for an hour.
8. Meanwhile, in the sauce pot, bring 1 liter of the drinkable water to a boil.
9. Add the Arborio rice, stir quickly, and cover. Cook until the water is fully absorbed, stirring occasionally.
10. Melt the unsalted butter and a handful of parmesan into the rice and combine thoroughly. Spread the rice mixture onto a cookie sheet using a wooden spoon, being careful not to break the rice.
11. Let the rice cool fully, about one hour.
12. Next, you will assemble the arancini. Take a handful of the chilled rice and create a pocket in the center with the other hand. Fill with a generous amount of the meat and remaining parmesan cheese.
13. Add more rice to form a tight ball. Squeeze out any excess moisture. Repeat these two steps until all the rice, meat and cheese have been used.
14. Mix the remaining liter of drinkable water with enough flour to make a light paste.
15. Coat each of the arancini balls in the paste.
16. Heat a large amount of seed oil in the fryer, filling at least 1/3rd full.
17. When the oil is very hot, use tongs to add a few rice balls at a time, leaving space so they don’t touch one another. Let them fry for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.
18. Serve immediately and enjoy!
MOE G
Mano is a passionate Sicilian who loves home cooking and tasting delicious dishes.
He is from the California Central Coast.
