Recipe - How to make Arancini with vegetable ragout

Introduction to the recipe

Sicily has a culinary tradition that is largely vegetable-based: aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes... whose fragrances and flavours bring colour to holiday tables. It is from the traditions of the country folk that we have drawn the inspiration for these arancini with vegetable ragù, as delicious as the meat-based variety but lighter and more colourful, a fanciful alternative for those who love to experiment in the kitchen.

Gourmet

Average

160 grams

Vegetarian

Ingredients for about 12 arancini

For rice:

500 grams of rice ("Roma" and "Originario" rices, mixed in equal doses)
1.1 liter of vegetable stock
2 bags of saffron
10 grams of salt
60-100 grams of butter

For the finish:

100 gr of flour
180 ml of water
2 eggs
150 gr of bread crumbs

For the filling:

½ black aubergine
1 carrot
1 zucchini
½ onion
½ glass of white wine
500 ml of tomato puree
150 gr of provolone
extra virgin olive oil
salt
black pepper

Preparation of rice and filling

Rice

How to prepare the rice:

In a saucepan, put the broth, the butter, the saffron and the salt
When the stock is boiling, add the rice and mix well
Cover and cook over low heat until the rice absorbs all the broth and is cooked but al dente
When cooked, stir, pour the rice on a cold surface and spread evenly to allow rapid cooling
When the rice is cool down, it is ready to prepare the arancini

Important

It is important to let the rice dry well during cooking. It should not be too hot or too wet, or it could stick to the mold.

For more informations about rice, Click here.

The filling

Wash the vegetables
Remove the ends from the aubergine, cut it into small cubes, then place it in colander, sprinkle with coarse grain salt and let it set for at least 30 minutes before rinsing well
Peel the carrots and dice them finely
Trim the ends off of the courgettes and dice them finely
Mince the onion
Using a large pan, sauté the onions in a drizzle of oil
Add the carrots, courgettes and aubergines and let them sauté over high heat for a few minutes until they begin to brown
Add the white wine and simmer until it has reduced
Lower the heat and add the cherry-tomato purée
Cook over low heat until the sauce has become very thick, then remove from the heat and let it cool
Chop the cheese into small cubes and add it to the sauce
Shape the arancini and put in the freezer a couple of hours before passing the arancini in the batter

How to shape the arancini

1 - Fill the base of the Arancinotto with rice and use a spoon to pack it down firmly.

2 - Put the lid on the base and insert the plunger as far as it will go.

3 - Remove the plunger and spoon your filling into the central hole, packing it in with a teaspoon to ensure there is a generous amount.

4 - Cover the top with a thin layer of rice and press it down using the other end of the plunger.

5 - Take the cover back off of the Arancinotto and gently remove your arancino.

How to frying the arancini

The finishing touch

Put the arancini in the batter and in the bread crumbs as follows:

In a bowl, place the flour
Add the egg and water and beat well with whips
When the batter is smooth and dense, pass the arancini
Immediately after having passed them in the batter, pass the arancini in bread crumbs

Frying

Fry in plenty of oil until golden brown, to ensure your arancini fry up perfectly, use one of the following oils: peanut oil, olive oil, or palm oil.
Heat the oil to the ideal temperature, 190°C, either in a frying pan or by setting the temperature on your deep fryer.
If using a pan, you can make sure that the oil has reached the proper temperature by dropping in a bread crumb. If it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
Immerse the arancini gently in the oil, only a few at a time, so as to prevent the temperature of the oil from falling too low.
When they are done, place the arancini on absorbent paper, then serve.
Serve the arancini.