Description
Rice lovers will adore these Italian arancini, classic Sicilian street food packed with creamy risotto and gooey cheese. Golden-brown spheres offer a delightful crunch that transports you straight to Sicily’s bustling markets.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) arborio rice (or short-grain risotto rice)
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken or vegetable broth (hot)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) mozzarella cheese (cut into small cubes)
- ½ cup cooked ground beef (seasoned with salt & pepper, optional)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) peas (optional, for extra texture)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 2 egg yolks (beaten, for binding)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (Italian or Panko for extra crunch)
- Vegetable oil (for frying, about 3-4 cups)
Instructions
- Broth Preparation: Craft a fragrant broth and delicately simmer Arborio rice, consistently stirring to encourage liquid absorption and develop a luxurious, creamy consistency.
- Rice Enrichment: Fold Parmesan, butter, and egg yolks into the cooked rice, transforming the mixture into a velvety, indulgent base for arancini.
- Cooling and Structuring: Spread rice across a flat surface, allowing complete cooling and stabilization for precise shaping of individual portions.
- Filling and Molding: Portion cooled rice, creating a small cavity in each segment to nestle mozzarella cubes, optional meat, or peas at the center, then carefully encase the filling by forming uniform spherical shapes.
- Breading Technique: Establish a three-stage breading process by systematically rolling rice balls through flour, immersing in beaten eggs, and thoroughly coating with breadcrumbs, ensuring an even, crisp exterior.
- Frying Precision: Heat oil to 350F in a deep pot, gently submerging breaded rice balls in small batches to maintain optimal temperature and prevent overcrowding, rotating periodically to achieve a uniform golden-brown crust.
- Serving Presentation: Transfer crispy arancini to absorbent paper towels to drain excess oil, then serve immediately with marinara sauce or a delicate Parmesan cheese garnish for an enhanced flavor profile.
Notes
- Choose Right Rice: Select high-starch Arborio or Carnaroli rice for creamy, sticky texture that helps rice balls hold perfect shape.
- Cool Rice Completely: Let rice mixture cool thoroughly at room temperature, allowing grains to firm up and become easier to shape without falling apart.
- Consistent Size Matters: Use a small ice cream scoop or uniform hand-rolling technique to create identically sized arancini for even cooking and professional presentation.
- Master Breading Technique: Press breadcrumbs firmly onto rice balls, ensuring complete and even coating for maximum crispiness and preventing filling from leaking during frying.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg