Arancini al Ragù Siciliani

Palermo and Catania, Sicily

Sicily's iconic fried stuffed rice balls — arancini (Palermo feminine plural, arancino in Catania masculine) made from saffron-scented risotto rice, cooled, formed around a filling of meat ragù with peas and fresh mozzarella, then breadcrumbed and deep-fried until golden. The regional shape debate is significant: Palermo produces rounded balls; Catania produces a cone (to represent Etna). Both are correct within their city. The rice must be cooked to a risotto consistency, cooled fully, and mixed with egg before shaping — warm rice falls apart during frying.

• Rice shaped around a central filling — Japanese version is unfried and uses seaweed; Sicilian version is fried and breadcrumbed → Onigiri — rice shaped around a filling, often fried (yaki onigiri) Japanese
• Fried rice ball with savoury filling as a street food using leftover rice — Brazilian version uses egg as binder as does Sicilian → Bolinho de arroz — fried leftover rice ball with cheese or meat filling Brazilian
• Rice formed around central filling as a portable food — Korean version is uncooked; Sicilian deep-fried — two ends of the rice-ball spectrum → Jumeok bap — rice balls formed around various fillings served at picnics Korean

Saffron-scented rice; savoury meat ragù; melted mozzarella; crisp golden crust; the taste of Sicilian street life