Arancini Siciliani
Leftover risotto's best life
Sicilian arancini: saffron risotto rolled around meat ragù and mozzarella, breaded and fried until deep golden and crisp.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min plus chilling
- Serves
- 12 arancini
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked saffron risotto, cold
- 1 cup thick meat ragù with peas
- 6 oz mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup flour
- 2 cups fine breadcrumbs
- Neutral oil for frying
- Salt
Instructions
- 01
Chill the rice. The risotto must be refrigerated at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Warm rice will not hold a shape.
- 02
Shape. Wet your hands, press ⅓ cup of rice into a disc, add a spoon of ragù and a cube of mozzarella, then close the rice around it into a ball or cone.
- 03
Bread. Roll each in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on firmly and chill 20 minutes.
- 04
Fry. Fry at 340°F, 4–5 at a time, for 4–6 minutes until deep golden all over. Drain on a rack, not paper.
- 05
Rest. Wait 5 minutes before biting in. The cheese inside is molten.
Larry’s rule: One weak seam and you're deep-frying soup. Seal them like you mean it.