As one of the greatest symbols of Sicilian street food, arancini or arancine are scrumptious and addictive.
The history of the arancini in Sicily started with the Arabs in the 9th century: They would eat small portions of rice – by making little balls with their hands and adding lamb meat. Depending on which side of the island you’re on, these fried rice balls will change name and shape. On the East coast of Sicily – in places like Catania – the arancino is in the shape of a pyramid and the word becomes masculine in dialect, whereas on the western side of the island, it’s called an arancina (the feminine version of the word), and it features a round shape, similar to a “little orange” – hence its name arancina (deriving from the Italian word ‘arancia,’ or orange). But even if there is a classic, standard recipe, today it is common to find a huge range of recipes for arancine – made with tuna, swordfish, squid, eggplant, pistachio, and so on.
In New York, one of the spots where you can find an authentic Sicilian arancina is Cacio e Vino – the New York restaurant established in 2006 by Sicilian-born Giusto Priola. This 60-seat enclave honors its Sicilian roots with regional specialties like caponatina, stuffed sardines and bucatini con sarde. Giusto, who grew up in the province of Palermo, brought his own western recipe of the traditional arancine to New York. He learned and perfected the art of making these delicious rice balls at Villabate Alba – the famous pastry store in Brooklyn run by Giusto’s uncle. Read on below for Priola’s special recipe for arancine al ragù, a truly unforgettable classic.
Arancine al Ragù by Giusto Priola
Ingredients:
For the arancine
2 ½ liters water (10 cups or 2 ½ quarts)
A small bag of powdered saffron
1 kg Arborio rice (5 cups)
100 g butter (3 ½ oz or ½ cup)
Breadcrumbs
Sunflower oil, for frying
50 g pecorino cheese (½ cup)
50 g caciocavallo cheese (½ cup)
3 tablespoons olive oil
A pinch of salt
For the ragù
100 g chopped carrots (2/3 cup)
100 g chopped white onion (2/3 cup)
100 g chopped celery (2/3 cup)
500 g ground beef (1 pound)
½ cup white wine
100 g tomato paste (½ cup)
150 g peas (1 cup)
6 bay leaves
Method:
For the rice
Add a small bag of saffron to the water for cooking the rice with a pinch of salt and start to cook over a low flame. Then add the Arborio rice and – once the water has been absorbed – turn off the stove and add the butter. Pour the rice in a large pan to let it cool.
For the ragù
Finely chop the onion and add it to a large saucepan with olive oil. Cook over a medium-low flame until the onion is translucent. Add the chopped celery, carrots and ground meat. Cook for a minute and then add the white wine. Raise the heat and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
Lower the heat, adding the tomato sauce, peas and bay leaves. Allow cooking for 30 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally.
Once the sauce is ready, pour it into a pan and let it cool. Once cooled, sprinkle with pecorino cheese or caciocavallo cheese and remove the bay leaves.
Assembly
Using slightly wet hands, spread 70 grams of rice (2 ½ oz) into the palm of your hand and place 40 grams of meat sauce (1.4 oz) in the center. Shape the ball of rice into a small ball – about the size of an orange.
In a separate container, mix the flour with water to create a sort of glue, which will help the breadcrumbs to stick better to the rice. Roll the balls in breadcrumbs. Fry the arancine in hot sunflower oil. Remove them carefully once they are golden brown all over and place them on paper towels to dry.
Serve and enjoy!