Arancini

[Binky Profile]

Sicilian rice balls, stuffed with vegetables or cheese or meat. Dipped in breadcrumbs and deep fried.

I had them for the first time today (one spinach and the other aubergine). A really lovely lunch.

I didn't make them, there is a wonderful Italian pasta booth in our local market. They also do desserts (so I bought a tiramisu) and small meals. The queues for the sit-down meals are very long but it looked to me that it was all repeat customers, looking forward to their pasta lunch with a glass of wine, and all for about £10.

[Pampy Profile]

That sounds absolutely lovely - just my cup of tea. I do wish that there were places like that up here in the frozen north!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

There’s a local company called Arancini Brothers, I had a selection of small Arancini from their Van at a festival and they were great

So I went to their nearest store, and it was dire

Must investigate further, yours sounds more interesting Binky

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Arancini & a glass of wine - perfick - lovely pit stop food - I adore the cheesy fillings...…. or ….or ….my other favourite pit stop is whitebait with a glass of wine...…………….especially when looking at the boys (?) windsurfing...!

You need to get down here Pampy for a couple of days...………...

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Lucky everyone who has great places locally for the arancini.
I first had them in Sicily (ooooo get me).

Otherwise, Zizzi's does them, but they are a bit rubbish.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I first had them when inter-railing in Naples in 1973
Good student food - cheap and filling

Those were huge - the size of actual navel oranges, the ones around London seem to be smaller, more the size of satsuma

Some of the pubs and cafés do them as “small plates”, including one of our regular backgammon venues, you get three littl’uns which seems the average

[Binky Profile]

The arancini were the size of oranges, not satsumas. Cost £2.20 each. You can get a glass of wine for £3, and the pasta meals are around £6-7. If you're ever in Chelmsford, this is the place to go for authentic Italian food. It's on the market but is like a tiny restaurant with seating and jolly tablecloths.

https://www.pastasciuttashop.co.uk/

[Amyw Profile]

I love Arancini . I love dishes that use leftovers that are just as satisfying if not more so than the original . My mum and I go out for lunch semi regularly and normally like to share a selection of starters rather than a main each . We always order arancini if it’s on the menu

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Looks like a great place Binky, the fresh pasta looks wonderful, and there’s a picture of the Arancini

Unfortunately since I stopped driving Chelmsford seems to be a long way away, I know it’s not a long train journey from Liverpool Street but Chelmsford was on the way to places when driving

[Pampy Profile]

It does look a great place, Binky - definitely pasta for my dinner tomorrow!
Lush -

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Arancini, according to my Sicilian sources ( I have none ), should be made with leftover risotto.
Problem is, there´s never any left over here!

Anyway, deep-fried balls of rice with cheesy additions is my idea of heaven!

[Lizzie-47 Profile]

Leftover risotto is an alien concept in our house too....

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Certainly the numbers they sell in Sicily and Naples, if they aren’t making the risotto specially they are leaving a good proportion of it in the kitchen to ensure it survives until tomorrow, my memory is of shops with trays full of dozens of risotto balls

[Binky Profile]

We've only ever been to Umbria or the Amalfi coast, and if arancini are a southern Italian speciality, that's probably why I have never eaten one before.

I don't think I'll be making them myself as you need to deep fry and we haven't got a deep fryer (the Italian chef cooked mine for me and put them into a foil bag so they were still warm when I got home).

[Lusciouslush Profile]

It's one of those things that tastes a lot better if you haven't had to slave over making it & let somebody else do it.

[Alexandria Profile]

Arancini ( Little Oranges is the translation in English ) ..

These "rice balls" or "Pear shaped little oranges" date back to Moorish Rule during the 10th Century on the Island of Sicily.

December 13th is a Sicilian Holiday to celebrate the many versions of this traditional rice ball ..

The original recipe:

Rice
Meat ( Lamb )
Tomato Sauce
Peas from a Pod
Local Sheep Cheese
Butter
Bread Crumbs from day old local bread

These pear shaped or round shaped rice balls, are 1st dipped in creamy butter, then they are breaded and fried in Sicilian Olive Oil ..

There are uncountable versions of this appetiser or starter ..

Great post Binky .. Have a lovely summer ..

[scullion Profile]

the first time i had arancini was at 'scarlet' - a hotel near newquay. they were the only vegetarian option on the 'mains' menu and made with goats cheese. my mood plummeted when they were described as risotto balls (i don't like goats cheese and have never had a risotto that i found that interesting) but they were absolutely gorgeous (and didn't taste of goat's cheese). i have since made (mainly) mushroom risotto a few times in order to make arancini. it has never been eaten as risotto.
it may be time to make them again as i bought some chestnut mushrooms yesterday.

[Amyw Profile]

I had some Arancini from Zizzi today. Very disappointing. The outside was nice and crispy with plenty of oozy mozzarella inside , but extremely bland . Reminds me why I don’t often eat Italian while out , as am usually left feeling I could have done much better myself. Nice garlic bread thoug

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I knew I´d read something, somewhere, about Arancini. Or Arancinu. or was it Arancino?
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20190415-the-gender-fight-behind-sicilys-most-iconic-snack