Arrancini (Stuffed Rice Balls)

• porsi: Maies around 12

Bahan-bahan

For the rice:

800mI chicken or vegetable stock

250g Arborio rice

½ tsp salt

Generous pinch of saffron

50g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

150g fresh Mozzarella, chopped into small chunks

For the filling (ragù alla siciliana):

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 small celery stalk, finely chopped

500g beef mince

200g tomato purée

300ml tomato passata

100ml chicken stock

Salt and black pepper

120ml red wine

250g frozen peas

For coating and cooking:

1 egg

170g plain flour

Around 170mI water

500g dried breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil, to cook

Petunjuk

1 For the rice, bring the stock to the boil in a pan set over a high heat. Add the rice, salt and saffron. Bring back up to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over a medium heat until the stock has been absorbed.

2 Stir in the Parmesan and season to taste, then set aside and allow to cool completely.

3 Heat the oil in a large pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until very tender.

4 Add the beef and cook for 6-8 minutes until completely browned throughout and no pink parts remain, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

5 Add the tomato purée, passata and stock.

6 Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

7 Stir in the frozen peas. Return to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes longer. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

8 To assemble the arancini, use wet hands to roll 2-3 tablespoonfuls of rice into a ball. Poke a hole in the middle and add a spoonful of ragù and a piece of Mozzarella. Cover with extra rice and firm together, sealing the filling inside. Repeat until all of the rice is used up.

9 Place the rice balls in the fridge and chill for one hour.

10 Beat together the egg and flour and add just enough water to make a thick batter. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl.

11 Dip each rice ball into the batter to coat, then into the breadcrumbs, pressing them on gently until well coated.

12 In a deep pan or wok, heat 5-6cm of vegetable oil until a thermometer reads 170°C, or until a breadcrumb sizzles when you drop it in.

13 Cook the arancini in batches until golden brown, making sure the oil comes back up to temperature between batches, and drain on kitchen towel. Sprinkle with a little salt while still warm and serve hot or cold.

Catatan

This recipe will make extra ragù, perfect for stirring through pasta another night.

FUN FACT

In Palermo, these rice balls are considered to be feminine, so one is an arancina and two or more are arancine. In Catania, on the other side of the island of Sicily, they are thought to be masculine; one is un arancino, and the plural is arancini