Arancini di Riso

Origen del Arancini

El Arancini es una especialidad típica de la gastronomía Siciliana, son una especie de albóndigas pero hecha con arroz, a la manera de una croqueta. En Sicilia se sirve de diferentes variedades, las hay rellenas de hongos, con berenjenas, a la manteca. El origen del nombre es debido a la forma que adoptan y a la coloración debido al azafrán, recuerdan a una naranja arancia en Italiano, por lo que arancini significaría "naranjita".
Tradizionalmente l’arancina, e altre prelibatezze di cui parlermo in seguito, viene preparata il 13 Dicembre per il giorno di Santa Lucia.

1 lb rice
some saffron
2 eggs
1/4 lb grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese
3/4 lb ground beef
1/4 lb ground chicken
1 onion chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
oil for frying
some fluor and dried breadcrumbs
1 beaten egg

Cook the chopped onion and celery with a soupspoon of oil in a pan and cook over moderate fire.  Add the meat, chicken, sage, oregano, salt and pepper and continue cooking, stirring constantly.  Add some of the white wine.  Meanwhile boil the rice in salt water with safron and when cooked add the grated parmesan and the two eggs.  When the rice is cold put a soupspoon of rice in four left hand, add a teaspoon of the meat mixture, and complete the ball with another spoonful of rice, forming a ball about the size of a small orange.  When all the balls are formed roll them in fluor, then dip in the beaten egg, followed by the breadcrumbs, and fry them in boiling oil.

There should be enough oil to completely cover the "little oranges".  As soon as they are golden remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to absorb the extra oil.  Keep them warm in the oven until ready to serve.