
Arancini
Sicily's beloved street food — crispy, golden fried rice balls with a molten heart of ragù and mozzarella or saffron rice with peas and ham. The name means "little oranges" from their colour and shape.
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Medium
Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min
Ingredients
Method
Cook rice like a risotto: toast in a little butter, add hot stock ladle by ladle until absorbed. Stir in saffron water, Parmesan and butter. Spread onto a tray and cool completely (refrigerate overnight if possible). Once cold, mix in beaten eggs.
About 5 min
Ragù filling: brown ground beef in a little oil. Add tomato passata and peas. Cook 10 minutes until thick. Season and cool.
About 11 min
To shape: wet your hands. Take a generous handful of cold rice (about 70g). Flatten into a disc. Place a spoonful of ragù and 2–3 mozzarella cubes in the centre. Bring the rice up around the filling and shape into a ball or cone. The filling must be fully enclosed. Repeat.
About 11 min
Coat each ball: roll in flour, then dip in beaten egg, then roll firmly in breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs in. Refrigerate 20 minutes to firm up.
About 11 min
Heat oil to 175°C/345°F. Deep-fry arancini in batches of 3–4 for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deeply golden all over. Drain on a rack.
About 11 min
Serve immediately while the outside is crispy and the mozzarella inside is still molten. Accompany with tomato sauce for dipping.
About 3 min
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 460 mg
Contains: gluten, dairy, eggs
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All Italian recipesRecipe by Boon Tools.





