Recipes, Stories, Traditions · 6 Giugno 2024
TRADITIONAL SICILIAN ARANCINI
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Traditional Sicilian Arancini
Sicilian arancini belong to the island’s street food tradition. There are countless variations today, and I am always experimenting with new flavours, but the original Sicilian rice arancino is filled with meat in tomato sauce.
Take note: the traditional recipe uses meat cut into chunks and cooked in sauce, rather than minced meat.
If you want to make Sicilian rice arancini, allow two days!
That is my advice, at least. I prepare the rice and filling the evening before, leave them to rest and cool overnight, then assemble and fry my delicious arancini the following morning.
Tip: use high-quality rice that binds well, otherwise it will not hold its texture during cooking.
But why arancino and arancina?
They are two products belonging to different cultures, with distinct characteristics, starting with their shape: an arancina is round, while an arancino is conical, for example.
Either way, these precious parcels of deliciousness are something we Sicilians, east or west, could never do without!
Below I explain how to make the original recipe for arancini with meat in tomato sauce.
what’s
needed.
Metod:
Step by step
The evening before, cook the rice in plenty of water with salt and saffron. Drain, add the grated cheese and leave to rest.
Brown the meat in the celery, carrot and onion soffritto, deglaze with the wine, then add the San Marzano tomato passata. Simmer for an hour and allow to cool.
Dice the tuma.
Prepare three separate containers with the flour, breadcrumbs and egg whites.
Add the yolks to the rice and combine thoroughly.
Start shaping the arancini: flatten a handful of rice in your palm and place the meat, peas and a piece of tuma in the centre.
Close securely into a cone shape, then coat in flour, egg white and finally breadcrumbs.
Fry in plenty of hot oil for about 15 minutes.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve your arancini piping hot.
FEDERICA’S TIPS
Prepare the rice and ragù ahead, cool them promptly and refrigerate until needed. A thick, cold filling is easier to enclose. Keep a small bowl of water nearby to moisten your hands while shaping each arancino.
― storage and serving ―