It is true that a risotto or a risu in brodu has no place in traditional Sicilian

cooking, but Sicilians are very proud of their arancine rice croquettes fried
to a golden brown so that they look like little oranges, which come either alla
cam e, stuffed w ith meat and peas in a tomato sauce, or al burro, with a ham
and mozzarella fillin g. Arancine are to be found at the sandwich counter of
alm ost any bar in Sicily, not to mention (and its a good place to make their
acquaintance) in the bars of the ferryboats that ply the Straits of Messina
between Sicily and the mainland. When arancine are good, they are very, very
good , but when they are bad they are with you forever.
It takes considerable courage to enter the fray of contending arancine recipes:
there m ust be alm ost a dozen different versions, each claiming the title of
A u th o rity. I have had success with this one:

A R A N C IN E
(Little Oranges)

Makes twelve 3 -inch arancine

1 pounds Italian rice cup red wine

(vialone or originario) 1 sage leaf
2 eg g s, beaten 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
cup grated caciocavallo or 1 cup plain tomato sauce
parmesan cheese (see p. 172)
Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup blanched tiny peas,
1 sm all onion, minced fresh or frozen
1 celery rib, chopped 1 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil 4 eggs, beaten
pound ground veal or beef 2 cups dried breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon tomato extract (see p. 12)
(see p. 13 ) or 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil for frying
tomato paste

Cook the rice in abundant boiling water, lightly salted, as you

would cook pasta. When it is tender (about 15 to 20 minutes),
drain it w ell, turn it out on a marble surface or a wide platter,
and add the 2 beaten eggs, the cheese, and salt and pepper to
taste. M ix well and allow to cool.
 Saute the onion and celery in the olive oil until they begin to
color. Add the ground meat and brown it. Stir in the tomato
extract and the wine, and simmer briefly. Add the sage leaf,
nutmeg, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add
the peas and simmer for 5 minutes longer, until the peas are
cooked. Allow to cool.
Place the flour, the 4 beaten eggs, and the breadcrumbs in
three separate plates.
When the rice and filling have cooled, place a couple of table
spoons of rice in the palm of your left hand (assuming you are
right-handed), make a dent in the middle, fill the hollow with
a generous teaspoonful of the meat filling, and with your right
hand cover the filling with more rice, sealing the edges and
molding it into a ball. No filling should show. Arancine can be
anywhere from 1 to 4 inches in diameter, but I find that 2
to 3 inches is the most manageable size.
Bind the arancina by rolling it first in flour, then in the beaten
eggs, then in the breadcrumbs, making sure that the ball is
completely covered at each layer. Set the bound arancina to dry
on a rack while you make the others. They are not particularly
difficult to make once you get the knack, but to start frying
before all the arancine have been shaped and bound really is to
invite disaster.
Deep-fry the arancine a few at a time in abundant and very hot
oil (about 375F.) until they are rich golden brown (it is crucial
that there be more than enough oil to cover them completely;
otherwise they will burst). Lift out and drain on absorbent paper.
Set in a warm oven to dry for 10 minutes before serving.