Arancini are a classic of Sicilian cuisine.
In the area of Palermo and in the western part, it is called “arancina” in the feminine, while in the eastern part, around Catania (where, moreover, the arancini have a conical shape reminiscent of that of Etna) it is called “arancino”.
The most popular arancini in Sicily are the meat one (with meat sauce, peas and carrots) and the abburro one (with mozzarella, ham and béchamel).
The origins of the arancino date back to the late nineteenth century, a period in which it was eaten during lunch by farmers who worked the flourishing and warm land of Sicilian citrus groves.
Tradition has it that the arancino takes inspiration from the ancient Arab custom of eating rice and saffron seasoned with meat and herbs. The crispy breading, on the other hand, is traced back to Frederick II: the breading in fact made it possible to make the rice easily transportable, and thus make the arancino the perfect food to take with you on hunting trips.
Preparation:
To prepare perfect arancini, first prepare the rice: heat the broth in a saucepan and add the saffron.
When the broth is boiling, add the rice and cook over medium heat until the broth is completely absorbed.
Let the rice rest, putting it in a very large pan and add the butter and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
Then prepare the filling to taste and assemble the arancini.
Put a little rice in the palm of your hand, a tablespoon of filling, a cube of mozzarella and close with more rice.
Form meatballs, dip them in flour then in egg and finally in breadcrumbs.
Fry in plenty of oil and serve hot.
