Arancini al Ragù Catanesi
Crisp, conical rice croquettes filled with a rich beef ragù, sweet peas, and melted cheese, typical of Catania and eastern Sicily.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy saucepan
- •Deep frying pan or fryer
- •Baking sheet
- •Mixing bowls
- •Slotted spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Simmer the rice in salted water with saffron until fully absorbed and tender.
- 2
Stir in the butter and grated caciocavallo cheese until melted and glossy.
- 3
Spread the cooked rice thinly over a tray to cool completely.
- 4
Fry the chopped onion in olive oil until soft, then brown the minced beef.
- 5
Add tomato passata, peas, salt, and pepper, then simmer until thick and dry.
- 6
Take a handful of cooled rice and cup it in your palm.
- 7
Place a spoonful of thick ragù and a cheese cube into the centre.
- 8
Enclose the filling with more rice, shaping it firmly into a cone.
- 9
Whisk the plain flour with water to create a thin, smooth batter.
- 10
Dip each shaped cone into the batter, then coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs.
- 11
Deep-fry the cones in hot oil at 180C until deeply golden and crisp.
- 12
Drain on paper towels for two minutes before serving warm.
Chef's tips
Ensure the ragù is reduced until very thick and dry so the filling does not leak. Let the rice chill completely before shaping, as warm rice will fall apart. Use wet hands when pressing the rice to prevent sticking and achieve a sharp conical peak.
Ingredient substitutions
- caciocavallo cheese → aged provolone or pecorino siciliano
- primosale → low-moisture mozzarella or scamorza
Storage
Keep cooked arancini in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 180C for 12 to 15 minutes to restore crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using watery ragù, which causes the arancini to burst during frying
- •Frying in oil that is not hot enough, making the rice greasy and heavy
- •Not chilling the cooked rice, which makes shaping the cones difficult
Serving suggestions
Cooked Arancini al Ragù Catanesi?
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