Kiddipedia
Recipe from Siciliano by Joe Vargetto
Makes approx. 50 balls
40 minutes
Arancine are the Sicilian version of arancini. These always remind me of my aunty’s backyard kitchen. When she was making these you’d walk out there and smell the frying oil, a beautiful crisp, breadcrumb-y, saffron-y, rice smell. It always made my serotonin levels spike. To me, they smell of family get-togethers.
Ingredients
Filling
450g beef mince
80ml olive oil
60g mixed minced onion, celery and carrot
100g peas
500g thickened tomato sauce
100g mozzarella, finely chopped
Arancine rice
3L chicken stock
40ml olive oil
200g butter
500g Carnaroli rice
1tbsp powdered saffron
150g grated parmesan
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Crumbing
500g fine breadcrumbs
500g grated parmesan
5 eggs, whisked
salt and pepper
Method
Prepare the filling for the arancine at least 1 day before you make the rice balls.
Cook the beef mince in a dry sauté pan, stirring to break it up, until lightly browned. Drain off the fat.
Place the olive oil and minced vegetables in a medium saucepan and sauté for 6–8 minutes, until soft and barely golden.
Add the cooked meat, peas and thickened tomato sauce and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until sauce thickens. Refrigerate for the next day. Once chilled, fold in the finely chopped mozzarella.
To make the arancine rice, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large saucepan and add the rice, stirring, until the grains are well-coated. Stir in the stock by the ladleful, waiting until each is absorbed before adding the next.
Add the saffron when the risotto has cooked for about 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock and stir until the risotto is smooth and creamy. There may be some stock left over, which you can refrigerate or freeze to use for another purpose. Allow the rice to cool, then add the parmesan and lightly beaten eggs. Spoon out 60g of rice and place in your hand. Poke a small hole in one side and fill with meat/tomato filling to the equivalent of a tablespoon. Cover with rice and proceed to make the rest of the arancine rice. Once you have your fantastic little rice balls, dust in flour, roll in egg wash and then roll in the breadcrumbs. You are ready for frying.
Heat 3 litres of canola oil in a deep fryer or a saucepan to 180°C. Fry the rice balls for about 3 minutes, moving them in the oil, until they are evenly cooked, crisp and deep golden on the outside. To test, insert and remove a metal skewer. If it feels warm, the rice ball is cooked. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
