Sicilian Rice Balls (Arancini)
By
Barbara Nazworth
@bnana51
1
★★★★★ 1 vote5
Ingredients
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MEAT SAUCE
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1 lbground beef
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1/8 tspgarlic powder
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1/8 tspsweet basil
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to tastesalt and pepper
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1 smallonion, diced
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3 Tbspolive oil
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2 Tbsptomato paste, optional
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1/4 cgrated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, optional
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RICE MIXTURE
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1 lbrice
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1/4 cbutter
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1/4 cgrated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
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2eggs
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1 citalian bread crumbs
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3-4 csalad oil for deep frying
How to Make Sicilian Rice Balls (Arancini)
- Before starting meat mixture you may want to start you rice cooking. Now MAKE MEAT MIXTURE: Combine raw meat with salt and pepper, garlic powder and basil. It is optional to add tomato paste, I prefer it. Add grated cheese and blend. Brown meat over medium flame, add onion, cook til transparent. Set aside to cool.
- MAKE RICE MIXTURE: Cook rice in 2 quarts salted boiling water until kernels crush easily between thumb and finger. Make sure they are not kernelly tasting, but not mushy either. HINT: Sometimes a slightly less than a 2:1 ratio for cooking the rice helps. Just make sure they can crush easily between thumb and finger. Drain water from rice if any left.
- PREPARATION OF RICE BALL: Prepare a pie pan of italian bread crumbs I add some pecorino romano and parsley flakes to the bread crumbs, but it is optional. In another pie pan or bowl place well beaten eggs.
- PREPARE YOUR STATION: Rice Mixture, Meat Mixture, egg mixture and then Bread crumbs. Now place 2 tbsp (more or less) of rice mixture in palm of hand. Make a well of rice and put in some meat mixture.
- Mold the rice around the meat mixture to form a ball. If you misjudge and can't close over the meat mixture, add a small amount of rice mixture and press firmly to make the ball.
- Fry in deep hot oil until golden brown on all sides. You can use a fry pan, but it is much easier to use a deep fat fryer. Do not fry more than 3 at a time. Remove balls with slotted sppon and drain on absorbent paper. Service hot!
- This will make about 20 to 30 rice balls, more or less, depending on how big you make the rice ball. I believe that eating them fresh out of the fryer is better! Hot and Crispy! Mangia!