Rice balls Arancini – Speciality from fragrant Sicily

ingredients

250 g risotto rice (arborio) 700 ml water or broth 1 KL salt 1 pinch of saffron breadcrumbs

Filling to taste

cheese cheese with meat grilled Vegetable Recipes sun-dried tomatoes with ricotta 100 g hard cheese (I used pecorino or parmesan) and about 2 tbsp butter

For the coating

200 g whole wheat flour plain 300 ml water pinches salt, ground pepper oil for frying or on baking paper/foil

progress

I was taught to make these rice balls in Italy. The lady at home used to deep fry them, but she told me that if I had the time, I could bake them in the oven. I tried both ways, then later fried them in a cooking class. The way you end up preparing this tasty and therefore properly filling meal is up to you. As I mentioned, arancini originated in Sicily. A friend of mine from Palermo told me that in the old days, workers needed a filling meal during the day that would survive the heat and not spoil when transported from home to work. Arancini are not just beautiful rice balls, they are filled with either meat or Vegetable Recipes or cheese. Therefore, just a couple and a filling lunch is on the table. Since the meat was cooked inside, the rice protected it from the drippings and this is how the men were said to carry their lunch with them. Whether this story is true I have no idea, but you can try it. The name arancine/Arancine, means “oranges, thanks to saffron the bullet turns orange and so they resemble oranges. Nowadays you can also get them ready made in Italian delis, stuffed with ragout and peas or mozzarella we tried them during our holiday in Tuscany. Maybe you’ll like them too. We ate them with a salad of arugula and tomatoes. It takes more time to progress, but you can frost the finished balls before coating and bake them at the appropriate time.

Cook the rice, salted so that all the water/broth is absorbed. Remove from heat, add butter, stir, add saffron mixed with a little water/broth and mix the whole mixture.

Grate the sulphur and stir into the rice again. Turn the rice out onto a baking sheet so that it cools to room temperature as quickly as possible (we will be shaping the balls with our hands so they don’t burn). Since rice contains starch, it holds its temperature better. It can take up to two hours to cool down.

From here, prepare the filling and the flour dough (porridge). It may help experience that it is a good idea to cut everything into as small parts as possible, the mixture will be incorporated into the centre of the ball. Before filling, have lukewarm water ready in a bowl so you can rinse your hands now and then, the rice will stick and that’s the right way to do it.

Flour porridge: use a fork to mix the flour with the salt and herbs (if you choose to use them) to make a thicker batter to dip the balls in. If you have bullets, strain through a sieve.

To make sure all the balls are the same, use a larger ladle, brushed with olive oil (to make the rice easier to scoop out).