Arancini

Arancini

Sicilian arancini for sale at a counter
Type	Snack, street food
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Sicily
Main ingredients	rice, meat

Arancini ([aranˈtʃiːni], Italian and Sicilian plural; in the singular, Italian: arancino, Sicilian: arancinu or arancina) are stuffed rice balls which are coated with bread crumbs and then deep fried. They are usually filled with ragù (meat and tomato sauce), mozzarella, and peas.

A number of regional variants exist which differ in fillings and shape. The name, which is translated as "little orange", derives from their shape and colour, which is reminiscent of an orange after cooking. Arancini produced in eastern Sicily (especially in Catania) have a more conical shape.

Arancini are said to have originated in 10th-century Sicily at a time when the island was under Arab rule.

In the cities of Palermo and Trapani in Sicily, arancini are a traditional food for the feast of Santa Lucia on 13 December when bread and pasta are not eaten. This commemorates arrival of a grain supply ship on Santa Lucia's day in 1646, relieving a severe famine.

Today, with the increasing popularity of this snack food in modern Italian food culture, arancini are found all year round at most Sicilian food outlets, particularly in Palermo, Messina and Catania. The dish is often made using rice from left-over risotto.

The most common type of arancini sold in Sicilian cafés are arancini con ragù, which typically consist of meat in a tomato sauce, rice, and mozzarella. Many cafés also offer arancini al burro (with butter or béchamel sauce) or specialty arancini, such as arancini con funghi (mushrooms), con pistacchi (pistachios), or con melanzane (aubergine).