Arancini di riso – Sicilian rice balls

Step 1 : The Risotto

The base for arancini di riso is risotto. In Italy, leftover risotto is often used to make arancini. To make your risotto, start by adding oil to a pan and sautéing the shallots and garlic. Next, add the risotto rice and sauté it briefly as well. Now deglaze the rice with white wine and gradually add the vegetable broth, but only enough so that the rice is just barely covered. Mix the saffron with water and stir both into the risotto. Finally, season with salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Spread the rice out flat on a platter or plate to cool.

Step 2 : The Ragù

Sauté the shallots in a pot until softened. Then brown the ground meat over high heat in the same pot. Next, add the ORO di Parma triple-concentrated tomato paste and deglaze with a little red wine. Then add a can of ORO di Parma chunky tomatoes and the bay leaves, season the ragù with salt and pepper to taste, and let the finished ragù rest.

Step 3 : Deep-Frying

Now it’s time to shape and deep-fry the arancini di riso. Use the risotto, mozzarella, and ragù to form small rice balls. Pour plenty of oil into a deep pot and heat it gently. Now you can coat the shaped rice balls in breadcrumbs and deep-fry them in the hot oil until golden brown. A slotted spoon works perfectly for deep-frying; it makes it easy to remove an arancino—that is, a single rice ball—from the oil and let it drain immediately.

Tip

How big or heavy should the arancini be?

That depends entirely on your personal taste. If you’re using a mozzarella filling, the arancini can be a bit larger; unfilled arancini can be smaller.