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Arancini Rice Balls
 
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Prep Time: 55 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 85 Minutes
Servings: 4
We recently spent 2 weeks on Sicily - 1 in a 15th century renovated winery on the slopes of Mt. Etna, and 1 on the north coast, overlooking a Med. type scene. Earlier we had been invited to dinner with the family of a new friend, where all the women gathered to teach us how to make Arancini !! This recipe is from a book I bought there - Fragrances and Flavors of Sicilian Cuisine , since no one in the group had sufficient common language skills to accurately copy their recipe. It IS labor intensive - but just wonderful ! I copied the measurements as listed and did not attempt to convert.
Ingredients:
300 g risotto rice
150 g peas, shelled
150 g ground beef
2 firm ripe tomatoes
3 eggs
1 -2 onion
50 g provolone cheese cubes
50 g mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 liter meat stock
80 g butter
6 ounces dry white wine
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
80 g parmesan cheese, grated
peanut oil (for frying)
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Scald tomatoes in boiling water, drain, peel, and seed them.
2. Chop pulp.
3. Chop onions finely.
4. Dice provolone and mozzerella.
5. Place 2 Tbsp oil in pan, add 1/2 chopped onion and let it sweat without browning.
6. Add ground beef and let it brown through.
7. Add 3 ounces white wine and let evaporate on high heat.
8. Flavor with a pinch of salt and pepper.
9. Cover pan and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Place remaining oil in another pan with 1/2 cup chopped onion and let it sweat without browning.
11. Add peas and cook for 2-3 minutes.
12. Flavor with salt and pepper.
13. Pour in a ladle of water and allow to cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
14. Remove mixture from heat, pour in a bowl and allow to cool.
15. Add cooked meat. chopped provolone, and mozzarella cheeses, and chopped tomatoes.
16. Place 30 g butter in a pot, add remaining chopped onion and let it sweat without browning.
17. Add rice, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring with wooden spoon.
18. Pour in remaining white wine, and let it evaporate on high heat.
19. Add stock a little at a time, cooking on medium heat for 10-15 miutes, stirring occasionally.
20. Take risotto off heat and add remaining butter, grated parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, and a pinch of salt.
21. Stir with wooden spoon til ingredients are perfectly mixed.
22. Place rice in a wide dish and allow to cool slightly.
23. To prepare arancini balls, roll rice into many little balls the size of a mandarin.
24. Make a hole in the center of each ball and stuff with a spoonful of the pea mixture.
25. Plug the hole with some rice.
26. Prepare 2 bowls, one with remaining egg, slightly beaten, and a pinch of salt, the other with the breadcrumbs.
27. Roll rice balls first in egg, then in breadcrumbs.
28. Heat plenty of peanut oil in a pan and drop arancini balls, a few at a time.
29. When they turn an even golden color, drain and dry them on paper towels.
30. Serve hot.
By RecipeOfHealth.com