The best way to get to know a city is through its food, and I’ve over-eaten my way through a number of them. I’ve lived in New York for a little over five years, and while I know I’m lucky to live in a place with some of the best restaurants in the world and almost unparalleled access to global ingredients, it’s easy to forget that this city is anywhere special when you’re stuck in the ultimate rut.
So a few weeks ago, I took a big leap, signed a new job offer and resigned from my old one, with a little bit of time off between the two. For the first time in five years, I don’t have a BlackBerry, I don’t have a schedule, I’m not running numbers in my head (and in my sleep) and I had a chance to skip town during a random week in October, destination: Dubai. I visited a very good friend who gave me the ultimate culinary tour of this amazing global city, and after only four days I left the UAE squeezed into the pants I had arrived in.
My short trip made me green with envy over the fantastic Lebanese, Iranian and Indian food I’d be gorging on if I lived in Dubai, but I also came back to New York determined to take advantage of it, to suck dry everything it has to offer. So as a tribute, I’m sharing this recipe for arancini, or Italian rice balls, stuffed and fried. Italian-American food is one of the best cuisines this area has to offer, and these crispy, cheesy appetizers are iconic.
As with anything that is stuffed and fried, arancini do require some technique and let’s just say that they aren’t exactly going to make themselves. But if you break up the component pieces (for example, make the filling a day before) and give yourself permission to make a few less than perfect balls as you practice stuffing them, you won’t drive yourself insane trying to make these. I also recommend that you wear a frilly apron and listen to some classic tunes while you work, like a nonna on a Sunday afternoon.
Your efforts will be worth it once you bite through the crunchy exterior and into the stringy cheese in the middle- serve them with a little bowl of marinara sauce for the ultimate Italian-American eating experience. We may not have the best kibbeh in the world or Michelin-starred Indian food, but arancini represent the delicious and unique homestyle Italian food that New York and New Jersey are deservedly famous for. Buon appetito!
Ingredients
- 11 oz / 1 1/2 cups / 300g risotto rice
- 3 1/2 oz / scant 1 cup / 100g grated mature caciocavallo cheese
- 5 oz / 150g mozzarella cheese (the melting kind, not the fancy kind), cut into cubes
- 2 eggs
- 3 oz / 1 3/4 cups / 80g fresh breadcrumbs
- Olive or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- Salt
- 7 oz / 1 1/3 cups / 200g shelled peas (I used thawed frozen)
- 1 1/2 oz / 3 tablespoons / 40g butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 9 oz / 250g ground steak
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rice in a large pan of salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes, until al dente, then drain. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the grated cheese and let cool.
- Meanwhile, make the meat sauce. Blanch the peas in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside. Melt the butter with the oil in a pan, add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the ground meat, increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Add the white wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, then mix the tomato paste with a little water in a small bowl and stir into the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes. Add the peas, re-cover the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Make the croquettes. Take a little rice and put in the palm of your hand, flatten it out a bit and add about a teaspoon of the meat sauce and a cube of cheese, then fold up the sides and add a little more rice on top to cover.
- Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a shallow dish and spread out the breadcrumbs in another dish. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to 350°F/180°C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Dip the croquettes first in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs to coat. Add them to the hot oil, in batches, and cook until lightly golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels, then transfer to a warmed serving dish and keep hot while you cook the remaining batches. Serve hot, preferably with a dipping bowl of marinara sauce!
Notes
From Sicily
