INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 – 14

Found in any bar, rosticceria, or café in Sicily, arancine are considered a step above street food, a casual treat that can be equally enjoyed standing up or seated. Nowadays, Sicilians make arancine often at home and fill them with all kinds of ingredients, even sweet ones filled with Nutella.

FOR THE FILLING

2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and diced - 1 celery stalk, diced - 5 ounces (140 g) ground beef - 5 ounces (140 g) ground pork - 2 cups (480 ml) good-quality tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought - ½ cup (75 g) frozen peas - 1 tablespoon estratto (sun-dried tomato paste) or other good-quality tomato paste - ½ cup (120 ml) white wine - Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE RICE

2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 small onion, finely chopped - 1½ cups (300 g) risotto rice, such as Carnaroli, Arborio, or Vialone Nano - 2½ cups (600 ml) water Pinch of saffron threads 3 tablespoons grated - Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE COATING

1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons water - 2 large eggs - 21⁄3 cups (250 g) plain dried bread crumbs, plus more for dusting - Vegetable oil, for frying

PREPARATION

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and peas. In a small bowl, dissolve the estratto in the wine and add the mixture to the pan. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
2. Let the filling cool completely, at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Cook the rice: In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the rice, coating the grains evenly with oil. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. As soon as the liquid boils, add the saffron. Stir well until the rice turns golden from the saffron, then cover with a lid and remove from the heat. Let sit, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been fully absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the Parmigiano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spread out the rice on a sheet pan and set aside to cool.
4. When the rice is cool enough to handle, prepare the coating (this is the most important step because the coating will prevent the arancine from falling apart when you deep-fry them): In a large dish with high sides, whisk together the flour, water, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and creamy. In another dish, spread out the bread crumbs. Dust a baking sheet with bread crumbs. Place a bowl of cold water next to you.
5. To shape the rice balls, wet your hands in the cold water and scoop up about ¼ cup (50 g) of the rice mixture in the palm of one hand. Cup your palm and use your other hand to make a hole in the middle, pushing the rice to the same thickness all around.
6. Fill the hole with 1 tablespoon of filling and close your hand, enclosing the rice around the meat mixture. Add a little more rice if necessary to round out the ball. If the rice sticks to your fingers, you can wet them in the cold water. The rice ball should be no bigger than a small orange (from which the dish takes its name).
7. After shaping the rice ball, roll it first in the egg coating, then in the bread crumbs, making sure the ball is compact and evenly coated. Place the shaped rice ball on the crumb-dusted pan. Repeat the process to fill, shape, and roll the rest of the rice balls.
8. Pour about 2 inches (5 cm) of vegetable oil into a large heavy- bottomed pot and heat over medium-high heat until it is hot enough to fry in (see Deep-Frying, page 30). Line a large plate with paper towels.
9. Once the oil is ready, carefully place the arancine in the pan, working in batches if necessary. The rice balls may not be fully submerged in hot oil so, using a spoon, baste the top of the arancine with oil and turn them every so often to brown all sides evenly. Fry until the arancine are golden brown all over, about 3 minutes. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer them to the paper towels. Serve hot.

Thanks to Fabrizia Lanza and Italy Segreta for this recipe.

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