Arancini alla Siciliana

"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything."

— Goethe, Italian Journey

Sicilian cuisine shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island over the last two millennia. Although its cuisine undoubtably has a predominantly Italian base, Sicilian food also has Spanish, Greek and Arab influences.

Known as arancini, or "little oranges," in Italian, these little rice balls coated with breadcrumbs are said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century during the Kalbid rule. The main type of arancini sold in Sicilian cafes are arancini con ragù, filled with meat, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas.

Suggested Pairing:
Corvina, California Zinfandel, Argentinian Malbec

Optional Accompaniments:
Tomato Sauce (for dipping)
Escarole Salad with Lemon Viniagrette

Serving Size: 4 servings

• 1½ cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup butter
  
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• scant 1/2 cup ground lean beef
• scant 1/2 cup dry, white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3½ ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• salt
  

Preparation:

• Cook the rice in plenty of salted, boiling water for 15-18 minutes until tender.
• Drain, tip into a bowl, and stir in half the butter and the parmesan, then spread the rice out on the counter and let cool.
• Melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned all over.
• Sprinkle with the wine and cook until it has evaporated.
• Stir in the tomato paste, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, then season with salt and remove from the heat.
• Shape the cooled rice into croquettes as large as small oranges and hollow out the centers.
• Fill with a little meat sauce and a cube of mozzarella and seal with more rice.
• Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a shallow dish and spread out the flour in another shallow dish.
• Dip the croquettes in the beaten eggs, then in the flour and shake off any excess.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or pan to 350-375°F or until a cube of day-old bread browns in 30 seconds.
• Deep-fry the croquettes in the hot oil until golden brown all over.
• Drain on paper towels and serve.
  

Preparation Notes:

• Use a dry, un-oaked white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
• It takes some time for the oil to get up to temperature, so make sure you start heating it before you begin breading the arancini. And don’t start frying until all your arancini are breaded.
• Arancini can be formed and chilled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to finish them, bread and fry them.

Recipe Source:
The Silver Spoon, by Phaidon Press

Additional Resources:

• Regional Italian Cuisine, Rustico Cooking
• Spaghetti with Fried Eggs, NY Times. Aka our latest, late-night standby dish, aka "poor man's spaghetti"