A beloved street food taking its name from the Sicilian word for oranges, which these stuffed rice balls resemble in shape and colour when coated in breadcrumbs and fried. The rice itself was introduced by the ruling Arab emirate, and the original recipe may be derived from Levantine snacks such as kibbeh. Regional variations have long since developed around the island, including cone-shaped arancini inspired by the volcanic profile of Mount Etna
| Created by | Spinneys |
| Prep time | 45 minutes |
| Chilling time | 1 hour |
| Cook time | 90 minutes |
| Serves | Makes 8 |
| Cuisine | Italian |
| Diet | Family Friendly |
| Preparation | Moderate |
| Calories | 646 |
| Fat | 28.9g |
| Saturates | 7.1g |
| Protein | 19.3g |
| Carbs | 76.2g |
| Sugars | 5.8g |
| Given the cook-at-home nature of Spinneys and natural variations in ingredients, nutritional information is approximated. See details | |
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
Download PDFPeel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
To make the risotto, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 5 minutes or so, until soft and translucent. Add the arborio rice and sauté for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the rice is lightly toasted. Add a ladle of chicken stock to the rice every 5 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed, while stirring continuously. This will take approx. 30-40 minutes. Once the rice mixture is creamy and the grains are just about tender, generously season with salt and stir in the butter.
Line a baking sheet with cling film and evenly spread the risotto in the tray. Place another sheet of cling film over it and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the ragu, rinse and finely chop the leek. Peel and grate the carrots. Heat 40ml (approx. 3 tablespoons) of oil over a medium-low heat. Sauté the leeks and carrots until soft. Add the minced beef and sauté until browned. Season the meat and add the tomato paste and tinned tomatoes. Cook for a further 10 minutes then add the non-alcoholic wine. Gently simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Once the risotto and ragu are completely cooled, place one heaped tablespoon of rice into the palm of your hand and use your fingertips to shape it into a hollow bowl shape. Place one teaspoon of ragu in the centre of your rice bowl and gently close the rice around the filling to either form a ball or pear shape. Repeat with the remaining ragu and rice.
Once all the arancini have been made, whisk together the flour, water and 1 teaspoon of salt until smooth. Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate or baking dish.
Roll the arancini in the flour paste until fully coated, then roll in the breadcrumbs.
Heat the oil to 180°C. Fry the arancini in batches of two or three for approx. 3 minutes, or until golden.
Drain on a paper towels and serve while hot.
