Sicilian rice arancini
by Tavolino
Classic Sicilian arancini, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, offered in two traditional versions: one filled with meat ragù and peas, the other with ham and mozzarella.
Ingredients
- Vialone nano rice 500 g
- Water 1,2 l
- Aged Caciocavallo cheese 100 g
- Butter 30 g
- Saffron 0,15 g
- Coarse salt 1 tablespoon
- Ground pork 150 g
- Tomato purée 200 g
- Peas 80 g
- White onions 50 g
- Red wine 50 g
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Fresh Caciocavallo cheese 50 g
- Cooked ham 120 g
- Mozzarella 120 g
- All-purpose flour 200 g
- Water for batter 350 g
- Fine salt for batter 1 pinch
- Breadcrumbs 200 g
- Seed oil 3 l
Preparation
- 1
Cook 500 g of vialone nano rice in 1,2 l of boiling salted water with 1 tablespoon of coarse salt for about 15 minutes.
- 2
Add 0,15 g of saffron to the rice a few minutes before the end of cooking.
- 3
Once cooked, stir in 30 g of butter and 100 g of grated aged Caciocavallo cheese. Mix well.
- 4
Spread the rice on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool completely for about 2 hours.
- 5
For the ragù, sauté 50 g of chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil. Add 150 g of ground pork, salt, and pepper.
- 6
Deglaze with 50 g of red wine, then add 200 g of tomato purée and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
- 7
Halfway through cooking the ragù, add 80 g of peas. The mixture should be thick.
- 8
Dice 120 g of mozzarella, 120 g of cooked ham, and 50 g of fresh Caciocavallo cheese.
- 9
Take about 120 g of rice, form a hollow in the palm of your moistened hand, and fill with mozzarella and ham.
- 10
Close the arancino with more rice and shape it into a round ball.
- 11
For the others, fill with the prepared ragù and cubes of fresh Caciocavallo cheese, shaping them into a point.
- 12
Prepare the batter by mixing 200 g of all-purpose flour, 1 pinch of fine salt, and 350 g of water with a whisk.
- 13
Dip each arancino in the batter, ensuring it is well coated.
- 14
Roll the arancini in breadcrumbs.
- 15
Heat 3 l of seed oil to 160-170°C and fry a few arancini at a time until golden brown.
- 16
Drain the arancini on paper towels and serve hot.