Arancini with Cooked Ham and Mozzarella

26/11/2023

Arancini with cooked ham and mozzarella are a delicious variation of the classic Sicilian arancini. Here they are below.

Ingredients

300 g of risotto rice (such as arborio or carnaroli)
1 liter of vegetable broth
1 small onion, finely chopped
50 g of butter
100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
100 g of mozzarella, cut into cubes
100 g of cooked ham, cut into cubes
Flour as needed
Breadcrumbs as needed
Oil for frying
Salt and pepper as needed
Saffron (optional)

Preparation

Prepare the risotto: in a large pan, sauté the chopped onion with half the butter until it becomes translucent. Add the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes.
Gradually add the hot broth, stirring often and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more broth. If you wish, you can add some saffron to give color and flavour to the risotto.
Once the rice is al dente, remove it from the heat and incorporate the grated Parmesan, the rest of the butter, and let the risotto cool down on a flat surface or in a tray, spreading it out to cool faster.
After the risotto has cooled, take portions of risotto and flatten them on your hand. In the center of each portion, put a bit of mozzarella and cooked ham.
Close the risotto around the filling, forming a ball or a slightly oval shape.
Prepare a breading by passing each arancino first in flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs.
In a deep pan or fryer, heat plenty of oil and fry the arancini until they are golden and crispy.
Once cooked, let them drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Curiosity

The name “arancini” refers to their shape and color, which resemble small oranges. This dish originated in Sicily and can be found in many variations, with different types of fillings, such as ragù, mushrooms, peas, and much more. It is said that the origins of this dish date back to the period when Sicily was under Arab rule, which introduced rice and saffron to the island.