Arancini with mushrooms and peas
Arancine siciliane: saffron rice balls with a mushroom, pea and cheese centre
Arancini are the pride of Sicilian rosticcerie, eaten mid-morning or as a snack on the ferry across the Strait of Messina; in Palermo they are round and called arancine, in Catania they are cone-shaped. The rice is cooked with saffron, cooled, then wrapped around a filling and fried until the crust is crackling gold. The best-known filling is meat ragù; this vegetarian version uses a thick tomato ragù of mushrooms and peas with a cube of caciocavallo or mozzarella, which is also found in Sicilian bars. Chef's tip: let the filling cool completely and keep it thick; a wet filling seeps through the rice and makes the balls split.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the saffron rice
For the filling
For the coating and frying
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Bring 5 cups vegetable stock to the boil, add 1 ⅛ lb risotto rice and simmer gently with the lid on for 15–16 minutes, until the stock is absorbed and the rice is just tender. Stir now and then so it does not catch.
16 minStep 2: Off the heat, stir in ½ tsp saffron threads with its water, 1 ⅜ oz butter and 2 ⅛ oz Parmigiano Reggiano until the rice is evenly golden and sticky. Spread on a tray, cover and cool completely, at least 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge).
120 minStep 3: For the filling, warm 3 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook 1 onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add 9 oz chestnut mushrooms and cook over a medium-high heat for 8 minutes, until their liquid has gone and they start to brown.
13 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute, then add ¾ cup tomato passata, 4 oz frozen peas and ½ tsp salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, until very thick: a spoon dragged across the pan should leave a dry trail. Cool completely.
11 minStep 5: Whisk 3 ½ oz plain flour and ¾ cup cold water into a smooth batter about as thick as double cream. Put 7 oz fine dry breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.
Step 6: With wet hands, take about 90 g of rice and press it into a cup in your palm. Fill with a spoonful of filling and a cube of 4 oz caciocavallo or mozzarella, then close with a little more rice and roll into a firm ball about the size of a small orange. Make 12.
Step 7: Dip each ball in the batter, let the excess drip off, and roll in breadcrumbs. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up. Common mistake: skipping the chill; soft arancini lose their shape in the oil.
30 minStep 8: Heat 6 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry 3 at a time for 5–6 minutes, turning, until deep amber and crisp. If the oil is right they rise and sizzle steadily, not violently.
6 minStep 9: Drain on kitchen paper and rest for 3 minutes before eating. Uncooked, coated arancini freeze well: fry from frozen for 8–9 minutes at 325°F.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arancini with mushrooms and peas take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of risotto rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
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