Crisp, crunchy shell gives way to molten cheese surrounded by rich risotto. One word: obsessed.
Friends, we’re going all-out on delicious Italian decadence right here. Arancini, ‘little oranges’, are simply balls of sticky rice – think risotto – stuffed and deep-fried. I’ve included three styles: con ragù, meaty tomato sauce; con burro, buttery béchamel with ham; and con funghi, mushrooms. Keep it simple by only making one type, or make a variety for a party! And let’s bake them because deep frying is literally a hot mess.
The idea of arancini is vaguely familiar from childhood, but my first true taste was two summers ago in the small Mediterranean town of Taormina. Kirk and I spent a morning at a Sicilian cooking class – and I could write about that life-altering fabulous morning for pages, utterly magical – and spent the entire afternoon feasting on our hard work and drinking local wines. That night we went for a stroll along the main Corso Umberto, not ready for a full meal but wanting something to top the night off.
Tucked away behind the Piazza Duomo is a hole-in-the-wall rosticceria called Da Christina. Racks and racks of deep, thick-crusted Sicilian pizza pies line the counter, but the absolute gem is their arancini. Stuffed with meaty ragu, prosciutto, spinach, eggplant, pistachios, sardines, fennel, raisins – so many variants that we ended up with twice as many as we needed because I absolutely had to try them.
I clearly remember sitting on the edge of the piazza fountain, stars above and the Mediterranean far below us, Kirk laughing as I took bite after bite that burned my mouth because I could. not. wait. Perfect night of food bliss.
Because I have zero restraint, I needed to make three different fillings to have options. If you’re a more reasonable person than I, just pick one and triple the quantities to make one style of arancini. But try making several fillings if you’re feeling a little adventurous and your dishwasher needs a challenge. Each filling comes together quickly in one pan, so you can easily have one cooking while you prep for the next one. As it’s written, this recipe makes 8 arancini of each filling.
Don’t feel limited either – adding a slice of pepperoni to the ragu would make a killer pizza-style filling. And don’t get me started on a spinach-artichoke stuffing… yes please.
Baked Arancini Rice Balls
Ingredients
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup parmesan grated
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- olive oil for misting
- marinara sauce for serving
CON RAGU MEAT FILLING
- 6 oz. ground pork or beef or combination
- 2 T. red wine
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 4 oz. mozzarella diced into 8 cubes
CON BURRO BECHAMEL FILLING
- 1 T. butter
- 2 t. flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- ¼ t. nutmeg
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 oz. diced ham
- 4 oz. mozzarella diced into 8 cubes
CON FUNGHI MUSHROOM FILLING
- 1 T. butter
- 6 oz. mushrooms diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 slices bacon cooked & diced (optional)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup parmesan grated
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 oz. mozzarella diced into 8 cubes
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté onion until translucent.
- Add rice and cook, stirring, until toasted and glassy-looking but not browned.
- Stir in 2 cups of broth and bring to a simmer. Stir constantly until broth is absorbed, then add the rest of the broth and water one cup at a time. Continue until rice is al dente and creamy, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in eggs and parmesan.
- Spread the risotto across a baking sheet and refrigerate to at least room temperature. While the risotto is cooling, make your filling.
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of risotto into the palm of your hand. Press into a flat disk and place the filling in the center. If you’re using meat or mushroom filling, press a cube of mozzarella into the center as well.
- Fold the edges of the risotto together to seal the filling inside, then gently roll it between your palms to form a ball.
- Coat the ball in flour and shake off any excess. Dip in beaten eggs, then roll it in breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet.
- Repeat for the rest of the risotto mixture. Spray the tops with olive oil to coat.
- Bake at 375° for 20 minutes until golden brown. Turn on the broiler for two minutes to make them extra crispy, but watch closely so they don’t burn.
- Serve hot with a marinara dipping sauce.
CON RAGU MEAT FILLING
- Brown the meat in a large saucepan over medium heat. Drain any excess liquid.
- Stir in the red wine, tomato paste, and frozen peas.
- Cook until peas are warmed through. Set aside.
CON BURRO BECHAMEL FILLING
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk in flour and stir until it turns light golden, 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Let cool for several minutes, then fold in ham and mozzarella and set aside.
CON FUNGHI MUSHROOM FILLING
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Sauté the mushrooms and garlic until mushrooms are browned. Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes.
- Add egg, parmesan, and salt & pepper, stirring constantly so the eggs don’t scramble. Set aside.
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