Arancini with octopus and potatoes

Introduction to the recipe
Octopus and potatoes are a pairing that can't go wrong. If you need proof, just think about the classic octopus and potato salad that is popular in many parts of Italy. In transforming this dish into an arancino, we wanted to give it an extra boost of flavour and colour, so we added some cherry tomatoes, tossed into the pan with the other ingredients to create a filling that is truly something special.
To ensure that the octopus remains tender after cooking, the simplest and quickest method is to immerse it in cold water, cook it for a good long time, then let it cool in the water it cooked in. The result will be perfect!
Gourmet
Medium
160 grams
Fish
Ingredients for about 12 arancini
For rice:
- 500 grams of rice ("Roma" and "Originario" rices, mixed in equal doses)
- 1.1 liter of fish 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:
-
600 gr of octopus
-
300 gr of potatoes
-
100 gr of cherry tomatoes
-
1 clove of garlic
-
fresh parsley
-
200 ml of white wine
-
some bay leaves
-
a few juniper berries
-
extra virgin olive oil
-
salt, black pepper
Preparation of rice and filling

The octopus
- Put the whole octopus in a pot with the white wine, bay leaves and juniper berries and cover with water
- Cook over low heat for about an hour (do not salt), then remove from the heat and let it cool completely in the water it cooked in
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
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
- Meanwhile, let the potatoes cook in salted water for about 40 minutes. Allow them to cool, then peel them and chop them into small cubes
- Remove the skin and any remaining internal organs from inside the head of the octopus
- Cut the octopus into small pieces
- Quarter the tomatoes
- Use the flat of a knife blade to crush the garlic, then sauté it in a pan with 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive until it begins to turn golden
- Add the octopus, sauté it in the oil so that it takes on the flavour of the garlic, then add the potatoes and the cherry tomatoes
- Let everything cook for about ten minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste
- Remove the pan from the heat and, as a finishing touch, toss in some finely chopped fresh parsley. Then let it cool
How to shape the arancini
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 with sauce on the side.
For more information about Finishing and Frying, Click here.
Enjoy your arancini!
Varation
To give these arancini an unmistakeable Sicilian touch, add some breadcrumbs to the filling.
Bonus idea
For an even more elegant version of this arancino, pair your octopus with mashed potatoes.

What do you think of the recipe? Send us the photos!
- Tags: Fish Gourmet Recipes
- Arancinotto Staff