Arancini/ Street Food Renaissance

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Street food is a great rags-to-riches story.   It was born poor–originating from the need to feed the working class cheaply.  It provided a complete meal that one could eat with the hands and while on the move.   But, like countless other examples, out of poverty comes the best of human ingenuity.  And out of the humble street food, we get the delicious and enduring  recipes that form the foundation of our culinary cultures. Think about the importance of fish and chips, crepes, or pizza to their cultures.  All began as a modest street food-sold by the poor, to the poor.

The recent  interest in Street Food, I believe, is indicative of our desire to grasp at our rooted traditions and hold on tight lest they wither away. It’s part of our identities-our more simple and primitive selves that so many of us are longing for in this modern age.  What’s wonderful is it doesn’t just have to be our own ethnic roots–it can be those of another culture whose traditions and cuisine we also treasure. We are so lucky in that way. I am always mindful of and thankful for the contributions of the diversity of peoples in our country. Food is one simple but powerful example of those contributions because it’s presented in a language we all understand.  I simply couldn’t live in a place where I cannot have banh mi, wood-fired pizza, shawarma, and tacos al pastor all within my reach.

Walking down a street in New York City, or even Portland, Oregon–you can sample the traditional “peasant” foods of a multitude of different countries. Aside from this connection to the foundations of a culture’s food traditions, most street foods are just really, REALLY delicious.  

You can sample this great street food from the side of a truck or from the swankiest restaurants.  Street food has become trendy with even the most discriminating gourmands–”foodies” if you prefer.   Wow. Look at you now, street food. You’ve made it. And you stand as a living testimony to the cherished identities of all of our people.  

Here is my offering to you of one of my favorite street foods: arancini.  They connect me to my own Sicilian roots, of course. You can find them in any city or small town in Sicily-and increasingly in other parts of Italy as well.  But they’re also incredibly delicious and comforting. Arancini means “little oranges” in Italian. With the addition of saffron and after they are deep-fried, they do somewhat resemble little oranges.  Oranges are an important and abundant crop in Sicily, so they also stand as a symbol of that as well.

If you happen to have leftover risotto in your fridge, these are easy to put together. Otherwise, they do take a bit of time but are SO worth the effort. If you need to make risotto, please reference my recipe for citrus risotto-just eliminate all of the citrus and add a pinch of saffron to the wine and let infuse for 10 minutes before adding to the rice. You could also just cook the risotto in your pressure cooker if you have one since this recipe deep fries the rice and it doesn’t have to be perfectly cooked. If you can manage to have any of these arancini left over, they warm up beautifully.

Arancini

This delicious Sicilian street food is a great use of your leftover risotto.   The risotto needs to have had saffron added it to it.   Don’t be tempted to use any other type of rice for these as they need the heavy starch of risotto to help form the lovely crust.  

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

• 4 cups roughly, of leftover, chilled risotto
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground beef or veal
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
• freshly ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, small dice or shredded
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 pinch saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water
• 2-3 eggs beaten
• canola, vegetable, or avocado oil for frying

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet, add about a tablespoon of oil and onion.  Cook over medium heat and stir often until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the ground meat and stir to break it up until it is cooked through.  Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to the skillet and stir.  Add the peas.  Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.  Turn off the heat and set aside until cool. 
  
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Add the saffron liquid into the eggs and set aside.  Ready the mozzarella cheese, and also your meat mixture nearby. Place the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish and set aside as well.   Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
  
• Remove your leftover risotto from the refrigerator.  Scoop some of the risotto into your palm and make a hollow with your thumb large enough to hold about two tablespoons of the meat mixture, some shredded or cubed mozzarella, and a little bit of basil.  
  
• Cover with a bit more rice and shape into a compact ball about the size of a small orange. Roll the “oranges” in the egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all of the risotto is used.   
  
• Heat the oil in a dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pan to about 360°.  You’ll know it’s ready if you put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and it bubbles around the spoon handle.  
  
• Deep-fry the arancini, a few at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Watch them carefully, turning them if necessary to get all sides golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve hot or at room temperature.