A Primer on Arancini
By Ric Orlando
This is the street food of Sicily. Everywhere, in every town, city, or highway rest stop Arancini are sold.
Arancini comes from the Sicilian world for little oranges, since they are about the same shape and color.
They were originally concocted by pastoral nomads during the 800’s when the Arabs ruled Sicily, made with goat meat and couscous, to be carried into the fields for a filling meal while away from a kitchen. Later they were taken on hunting expeditions by the aristocracy so they could have lunch without making a fire and thus scaring away their catch. The outer breading was often removed before eating because it became dirty from traveling in a satchel. These are fun to make and it is easy to lend themselves to many variations on the stuffing. In Palermo, there are numerous street carts and small shops that sell a myriad of fillings in their rice balls. Fun fact: saffron is amazing. Historically saffron was not just used for coloring and flavor, but also because it is a natural preservative. It was added to the arancini to make them last for a couple of days while traveling.
This recipe makes about a dozen tennis ball sized arancini
Basic Sicilan Meat Ragu Filling
This is quite meaty, less tomato-y. If making it for pasta, add a small can of tomato puree and a little water to allow it to cook longer and wetter.
4 tbls EVOO
¼ cup carrot finely diced
¼ cup celery, finely diced
½ cup onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ground beef or “meatball mix” of pork, beef and veal or sub crumbled tempeh
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup red wine
½ cup water
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt
1 cup frozen peas
In a heavy pan or pot heat the oil and add the veggies except the garlic. Lighty salt then and cook for about 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Add the garlic and cook it in. Now add the meat, season again and break it up. Cook until there is no pink left, then add the tomato paste and fry it in good.
Now add the water and wine and cook briskly for 5 more minutes. Add the cloves and nutmeg. Stir in well, then fold in the peas and cool for stuffing arancini.
Freeze any leftovers.
Spinach Filling
Here is a nice vegetarian filling. You can also use chard, dandelion or even cooked arugula.
About I cup cooked spinach, squeezed out well. (frozen works fine)
EVOO
1 clove garlic, lightly crushed but still in one piece
4 oz mozzarella
2 oz ricotta
2 oz Pecorino Romano
Pinch of nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cooked spinach, water squeezed out very well (frozen is fine)
In a heavy pan add some oil and the clove of garlic. Cook the garlic until golden and then discard it. Add the spinach, season with salt and toss with the oil, sauteeing just a minute.
Remove from the pan and let cool.
Mix it all together with the cheeses and nutmeg. Use to stuff arancini.
The Rice
2 ½ cups arborio rice
water
Salt
¼ cup Butter
1 tsp saffron
In a heavy pot cover the rice with at least 4 inches of lightly salted water.
Boil moderately, stirring a few times, but not a lot. We are NOT making risotto. When the rice is cooked and tender, drain off any excess water, reserve two tablespoons to dissolve the saffron in it. ( if you forget, hot tap water will do.)
Stir the butter and saffron water into the rice.
Lay it out on a cookie sheet or in a wide bowl to cool down.
Make the arancini.
Filling
Cooked rice
Water
Breadcrumbs ( could be gluten free)
Vegetable oil for frying. We use grapeseed oil because it is non gmo
Dip your hands in water and work the rice for a few minutes with to mush it up a bit. It’s fun. It’s therapy. It’s human. Touch your food. A lot.
Take about a half cup of rice and flatten out a bit in the palm of one hand. Pat your hands together to get it tight. Add a couple tablespoons of filling and close the rice around it forming a ball. Roll it good.
Dip the ball in the water mix.
Now roll in breadcrumbs.
In dutch oven or deep heavy skillet add enough oil to come halfway up the balls. Heat oil to 350. Fry until golden.
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