Arancini

Ball-shaped arancini from Palermo

Arancini ([aranˈtʃiːni]; Italian: arancino in singular, Sicilian: arancini or arancine)[1] are stuffed rice balls which are coated with bread crumbs and then deep fried. They are usually filled with ragù (meat and tomato sauce), mozzarella, and peas.

A number of regional variants exist which differ in fillings and shape. The name, which is translated as "little orange", derives from their shape and colour, which is reminiscent of an orange after cooking. Arancini produced in eastern Sicily (especially in Catania) have a more conical shape.

History

A dissected Arancino, showing the rice and ragù stuffing

Arancini are said to have originated in 10th-century Sicily at a time when the island was under Arab rule.[2][3]

In the cities of Palermo and Trapani in Sicily, arancini are a traditional food for the feast of Santa Lucia on 13 December when bread and pasta are not eaten. This commemorates arrival of a grain supply ship on Santa Lucia's day in 1646, relieving a severe famine.[4]

Today, with the increasing popularity of this snack food in modern Italian food culture, arancini are found all year round at most Sicilian food outlets, particularly in Palermo, Messina and Catania. The dish is often made using rice from left-over risotto.

Ingredients and variations

Conical-shaped arancini photographed in Lipari.

The most common type of arancino sold in Sicilian cafés are arancini con ragù, which typically consist of meat in a tomato sauce, rice, and mozzarella. Many cafés also offer arancini con burro (with butter or béchamel sauce) or specialty arancini, such as arancini con funghi (mushrooms), con pistacchi (pistachios), or con melanzane (aubergine).

In Roman cuisine, supplì are similar but are commonly filled with cheese. In Naples, rice balls are called pall'e riso. n a variant recipe originating among the Italian diaspora in Southeast Texas, the arancini are stuffed with a chili-seasoned filling.[5]

In popular culture

In Italian literature, Inspector Montalbano, the main character of Andrea Camilleri's detective novels, is a well-known lover of arancini. The success of the book series and the television adaptation has contributed to making this dish known outside of Italy.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "I cugini di Palerma e il sesso degli arancini. Un complesso di inferiorità culinaria". MeridioNews.
  2. ↑ Giuliano Valdes (1 May 2000). Sicilia. Ediz. Inglese (illustrated ed.). Casa Editrice Bonechi. p. 9. ISBN 9788870098266.
  3. ↑ Clifford A. Wright (1 Jan 2003). Little Foods of the Mediterranean: 500 Fabulous Recipes for Antipasti, Tapas, Hors D'Oeuvre, Meze, and More (illustrated ed.). Harvard Common Press. p. 380. ISBN 9781558322271.
  4. ↑ Giuseppina Siotto, Vegetaliana, note di cucina italiana vegetale: La cucina vegetariana e vegana, 2014, ISBN 8868101858, chapter 14
  5. ↑ "Arancini". Texas Monthly. 1 December 1988.
  6. ↑ "I arancini di Montalbano". Rai Uno. 6 July 2015.

External links

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