How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Rice-balls with Peas and Ragù or “Arancini di Riso”
One of the best street-food of Italy from Sicily. “Arancini”, named after the little oranges that these fried rice balls are said to resemble, are best known in this country as a handy way to use leftover risotto. “Arancini” are delicious stuffed rice balls, coated with breadcrumbs, which are fried. They are usually filled with Ragù (meat and tomato sauce), Provolone cheese, and Peas. Perfect street-food in Sicily home-made are simply wonderful.
Ingredients for 6 people
- 300 grams of Rice
- 1 LT of Broth
- 40 grams of Butter
- a pinch of Saffron
- 50 grams of Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Egg
- half Blonde Onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 30 grams of Butter
- 100 grams of Ground Veal
- 100 grams of Chicken Giblets
- 150 grams of Peas
- 1 tablespoon of Tomato concentrate
- 80 grams of Provolone Cheese diced
- 1 Egg beaten
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil for Fridge
- Salt and Pepper as you prefer
Preparation
1. In a large pot or “Pentola”, cook the rice with half liter of broth. When it is absorbed pour the other part of broth and a pinch of saffron (diluted in half glass of water) and cook until it will be ready, “al dente” and not liquid. Add butter, 1 egg, parmesan cheese and mix well.
2. In a casserole pour 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 30 grams of butter and half blond onion chopped, cook until the onion minutes or until the onion has softened, add the meat and the chicken giblets. Cook over medium heat until all water is absorbed then add 100 grams of peas, 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate and half glass of broth. Reduce the heat, salt and pepper, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
3. In a bowl pour the cooled rice, take a full tablespoon of risotto and shape it into the bottom of a ball on the palm of your hand. Press a pinch of provolone cheese and the ragù sauce in the middle-top and cover with additional risotto shaping as a ball. Dip the Rice-Balls into the beaten egg, then roll it in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the “Arancini di Riso” and then quickly fry for 3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Remove the rice-balls “Arancini di Riso” from the pan and drain them on a kitchen paper. Enjoy warm.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: while Supplì are rice-balls of rice mixed with Ragù and filled with Mozzarella, Arancini instead are rice-balls of white rice with saffron and have the Ragù and Piselli only inside as filling. Very different.
Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana