Rice balls
Presentation
This is an iconic dish that embodies the taste and tradition of Sicilian cuisine. Arancini are full-bodied rice pancakes, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, which hide a heart of ragù , cheese and peas inside. Originally born as street food, today arancini are a symbol of refined Sicilian gastronomy, loved both locally and internationally.
Ingredients:
- 1.2 liters of water
- 500 grams of rice
- 30 grams of butter
- 100 grams of grated parmesan (or caciocavallo)
- 1 sachet of saffron
- 300 grams of ragù
- 50 grams of peas
- 50 grams of cheese (cacio cavallo)
- 200 grams of 00 flour
- salt to taste
- 300 ml of water
- plenty of breadcrumbs
- seed oil for frying
Preparation:
Boil 500 grams of rice in 1.2 liters of salted water for about 15 minutes, when the rice has dried add the saffron dissolved in a little hot water and mix well, 1 also add the grated cheese (Parmesan or Ciacio Cavallo) and butter and mix the ingredients well. 2 While it is still hot, spread the rice evenly on a baking tray, cover it with cling film and place it in the fridge for about 2 hours. In the meantime you can prepare the filling. I used my ragù which I keep in a jar in the fridge and after bringing it to room temperature 3 I mixed it with the peas previously boiled for 15 minutes.
Just before taking the rice out of the fridge, prepare the batter, a container with breadcrumbs and the cheese cut into cubes for the filling. To prepare the batter, pour the flour into a bowl and, using a 4 kitchen whisk, gradually pour in the water, mixing quickly until you obtain a fairly liquid batter without lumps. At this point, take the rice out of the refrigerator and start preparing the arancini. Take a portion of rice in the palm of your hand, 5 add the filling of ragù, peas and cheese and with the help of both hands 6 close the arancino trying to give it its characteristic elongated shape. You can also help yourself by adding other pieces of rice to achieve the final result.
Once the arancino is formed, you need 7 dip it in the batter using a spatula. After draining the excess batter a little, place it on the breadcrumbs and cover it entirely, trying to touch it as little as possible. 8 You can help yourself by shaking the bread container or taking the breadcrumbs with your hands and letting them fall on top. Make sure you stick the breading well with your hands and then proceed with the following arancini. 9 Now all you have to do is place your arancini in the oil at 170°C for about 10 minutes and serve them while still hot.
Advise
- Boiling rice : stir the rice often while cooking in water to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Breading : for a good breading without getting your hands too dirty, use a spatula to hold the arancino and then roll it in the breadcrumbs before finishing the breading with your hands.
- Frying : always make sure that the oil is not too hot (160-170°C) otherwise the arancino will burn on the outside before the heat reaches the inside.
- Watch out for splashes : always place the arancini in the oil using a spatula or skimmer to avoid burning yourself with any splashes.
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