Arancini SicilianiSicilian Arancini

Prepare the filling ingredients

• 1 Finely chop 0.5 onion.
• 2 Grate 40 g Parmigiano Reggiano.
• 3 Cut 120 g mozzarella into 1.5 cm cubes and pat dry.

Cook the saffron rice

• 1 Warm 850 ml meat stock, 0.2 g saffron and 1/2 tsp salt in a pot, then add 360 g rice.
• 2 Cook over medium-low heat for 18–20 minutes; turn off the heat when the rice has absorbed the liquid and become sticky.

Chill and firm the rice

• 1 Mix 30 g unsalted butter and the Parmigiano Reggiano into the rice, then spread on a tray.
• 2 Once it is no longer hot, refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Sauté the ragù base

• 1 MeanwhileWhile the rice chills, heat 20 ml extra virgin olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• 2 Once the onion is translucent, add 200 g ground beef and sauté until no pink remains.

Reduce the ragù

• 1 Add 250 ml passata, 80 g peas, salt and black pepper, and reduce over low heat for 20 minutes.
• 2 Once the ragù is thick enough for a line drawn across the bottom of the pot to remain visible, let it cool.

Enclose the filling in rice

• 1 Divide the chilled rice into 8 portions; wet your hands and flatten each into a round.
• 2 Place ragù and mozzarella in the center, enclose them with rice and shape into balls about 7 cm across.

Coat with breadcrumbs

• 1 Mix 80 g cake flour with 120 ml water to make a loose batter.
• 2 Dip the arancini in the batter, then coat all over with 180 g fine breadcrumbs.

Fry until golden

• 1 Heat 1200 ml frying oil to 170°C and add 3–4 arancini at a time.
• 2 Fry for 5–6 minutes, lifting them out when deeply golden and light to lift.

Rest and finish

• 1 Rest on a wire rack for 3 minutes.