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Arancini recipe

Sicilian Arancini Rice Balls

A delicious and guilty pleasure, Arancini have a crunchy exterior and a soft creamy inside, and a surprise in the middle. They are a typical Sicilian snack made of risotto, stuffed with a filling, coated in breadcrumbs and then deep-fried.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: Arancini, Rice balls, Risotto, Sicilian Arancini
Difficulty: Moderate
Servings: 12 rice balls
Calories: 251kcal

Equipment

  • large pan
  • wooden spoon
  • medium size pot
  • ladle

Ingredients

Broth

  • 1 cube vegetable broth (see Notes)
  • 4 cups water

Risotto

  • 2 tbsp butter extra virgin
  • 3 shallots sliced thinly
  • 2/3 cup rice Carnaroli
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp saffron

Creaming

  • 3 oz butter
  • 2 oz parmesan grated
  • 2 tbsp vegetable broth

For the Arancini Filling

  • 2 oz mozzarella cheese cubed

For the batter

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1½ cup water
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the broth

  • Start by adding 4 cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil.
  • Add the vegetable broth cube and stir until the cube dissolves.

To slow-cook the risotto

  • In the mean time, chop the shallots, gather the rice, and the butter.
  • Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a pan over a medium heat, add the sliced shallots. Cook until the onions become translucent.
  • Let the rice toast slightly before adding 2 cup of broth and a pinch of saffron.
  • As the broth gets absorbed, keep adding 1 or 2 more cups, stirring occasionally (not continuously), until the rice is firm to the bite. Switch off the heat.

To cream the risotto:

  • Please note that during the creaming, the rice will still cook, making it just perfect. If you keep the heat on, the rice will overcook and instead you will have a mushy risotto.
  • Add the butter, followed by the parmesan, and 2 tbsp of broth.
  • Allow the risotto to cool completely.

To make Arancini

  • Flatten one tablesppon of risotto over the palm of your hand.
  • Add a cube of mozzarella in the middle.
  • Wrap the arancini around it on order to form a ball of 2.5 inches of diameter.
  • Continue until you finish the risotto.
  • Prepare the batter by adding one cup of water to the flour and whisk until no clumps has formed. Gather the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
  • Roll the arancini one by one in the batter and then coat them into the breadcrumbs.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan
  • Deep fry the Arancini until they are golden, remove them, and dry them over kitchen roll paper to drain out the oil excess.

Notes

  • For the broth, I recommend using a vegetable cube that is organic, gluten-free and without any glutamate.
  • During the cooking, you do not need to stir the risotto too often - just let the rice absorb the broth. It is sufficient to stir after you add the broth and right before adding more.
  • The creaming is what gives the risotto its richness. Be sure to stop the heat so the risotto does not over-cook. Add the butter, the cheese, the mascarpone and 2 tablespoon of broth.
  • Coat completely the arancini in the batter and then into the breadcrumbs: this will hold the arancini balls together while deep frying.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 2mg
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