Tomato-Basil Arancini Recipe
Arancini are small Italian rice croquettes traditionally from Sicily. Their name translates to mean little oranges, which is indicative of their shape, size, and color. They are usually filled with cheese, though centuries of experimentation have resulted in varieties with anything from meat to vegetables. While we doubt you’ll have leftovers, these are a great addition to a simple green salad.
What to buy:
Arborio is a variety of short-grain Italian rice with a high starch content. It can be found in gourmet grocery stores, Italian markets, or online through BuonItalia. You can substitute Carnaroli if you are having a hard time finding Arborio. Use a dry, unoaked white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
Special equipment: You’ll need a deep-frying/candy thermometer and a slotted spoon or a mesh wire skimmer.
Game plan:
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.
Also, the 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... read more
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small white onion, minced
- 2 1/4 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice (about 1 pound)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium dice
- 1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups dry breadcrumbs
- Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently to coat each grain with olive oil, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook until almost completely evaporated.
- Add broth, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until rice is completely tender and almost overcooked, not al dente (as for traditional risotto). Stir occasionally, and if rice starts becoming dry, add water.
- When rice is finished, stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and spread risotto on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside to cool.
- Place about 1/4 cup risotto in your palm and use it to enclose a piece of mozzarella, a basil leaf, and a cherry tomato. (Moisten hands and pack rice into tight spheres.) Place arancini on a tray and repeat. Cover in plastic and place in the refrigerator to chill, at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
- Fill a medium saucepan halfway with vegetable oil and place over medium heat until oil is 300°F. Set up separate shallow containers with flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Working with one arancini at a time, roll in flour, egg wash, and finally breadcrumbs. Repeat until all balls are breaded. (Use one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the egg wash.)
- Fry arancini in batches until golden, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
Beverage pairing: Nino Franco Prosecco. “Creamy and crisp with a pop of acidity” is a phrase that can describe both the arancini and the wine, which is why they go so well together.
This recipe came out GREAT - I made made the Arancino quite small, and served them with drinks. I did use good Parmesan and fresh Mozzarella. I had leftover Risotto in the fridge.
Where I deviated from the recipe ...I had made the Risotto for dinner the night before, and I discovered I was out of Arborio rice. In the pantry I had a bag of really CHEAP very short grain Mexican (or Latin?) white...+READ
This recipe came out GREAT - I made made the Arancino quite small, and served them with drinks. I did use good Parmesan and fresh Mozzarella. I had leftover Risotto in the fridge.
Where I deviated from the recipe ...I had made the Risotto for dinner the night before, and I discovered I was out of Arborio rice. In the pantry I had a bag of really CHEAP very short grain Mexican (or Latin?) white rice. I used this rice instead of the Arborio in the Risotto.
This was a fine substitute, and nobody even noticed it. Risotto seems very much about the quality of the stock, it seems, I used some good homemade chicken stock from my freezer.
I mention the rice substitution because it worked so very well, and it's so inexpensive - not a bad thing to have a couple of bags in the cupboard for a Risotto emergency, if you're out of the Arborio.-COLLAPSE
these sound wonderful, and are a great idea for using up leftover risotto.
but can anyone provide a reason for the inexplicable pair of shoes in the background? i don't want anyone's shoes near my dinner!
@ genman, the recipe contains onion. Italians do like their garlic, it's true, but they don't use onion and garlic in the same recipe.
@villaaston
I suppose getting a life includes posting over-aggressive responses and using "fuck" unnecessarily?
Really, pal, take a Zoloft. You're not the food-plurality enforcer.
The arancini are very tempting, however I am needing to avoid some of the fat in this recipe. Though I would very much enjoy it, as is, I will substitute with a lower-fat Asiago and a lower-fat type of Mozarella cheese, maybe throw a little dry-curd ricotta cheese into the mix. I will use half the amount of wine and increase chicken broth to reach sufficient liquid measure. I will add...+READ
The arancini are very tempting, however I am needing to avoid some of the fat in this recipe. Though I would very much enjoy it, as is, I will substitute with a lower-fat Asiago and a lower-fat type of Mozarella cheese, maybe throw a little dry-curd ricotta cheese into the mix. I will use half the amount of wine and increase chicken broth to reach sufficient liquid measure. I will add freshly-pressed raw garlic (if it's Italian, it must contain garlic!), and I will experiment with a reduction in number of egg yolks, while increasing the whites. Finally, I will be very careful to assure the fat is at a temperature high enough to deep-fry, but not tend to be overly-absorbed by the coating. These change will allow me to enjoy anancini while tending to the needs of a senior citizen.
But, thanks for your very tempting recipe that has described ingredients and techniques that I will be able to adapt to my needs, and maybe enjoy it as much as you youngsters will by yours!-COLLAPSE
Who cares if they're authentic? Get a fucking life. They taste great.
It is silly to think that in a land as vast as Italy, there would not be variations on a theme. There is no such thing as the "right" recipe. If it is tasty, then it is "right". It seems the filling is just a preference, like chocolate vs vanilla!
I love Arancini. I too, am Sicilian. Ours are usually stuffed with rice, hamburger, and green peas, and a little bit of tomato sauce. Pecorino-romano cheese is included in the batter... The more types, the merrier! Yum, Yum, Yum!
Ah, Enrico -- Sicilian does not necessarily equal traditional. My Nonna, who was raised in Morolo in Frosinone, made arancine several different ways, including ones like those in the recipe.
To further foren83's comment, I would like to add that nearly every Sicilian arancino I have eaten was made with butter. Some are made with ham and peas rather than ragu, but almost never are they made without some kind of meat or other filling besides cheese.
Hi i'm Sicilian and the traditional recipes previews:
1) Do not use Parmiggiano
2) Do not use Mozzarella but Canestrato cheese
2) Use meat (Ragù= Meat+tomato sauce and vegetables)
3) Do not use Eggs
Best regards
Enrico
http://www.volcanoetna.com/blog
Coincidentally I tried using leftover Basmati rice to make arancini last night and it was really hard to get the balls to keep together. I think the type of rice used is critical.
I wonder if these are the same as supli? They sound the same.
Arancini aren't really a "3" for difficulty. Arancini are really a way to re-use leftover risotto. I would make that clear in the recipe.