Arancini with speck and provola

Arancini with speck and provola are a delicious variation of the traditional Sicilian dish, enriched with the intense flavor of smoked speck and the stretchy taste of provola. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 300 g of risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
• 1 liter of vegetable broth
• 100 g of speck, diced
• 150 g of smoked provola, diced
• 2 eggs
• 100 g of flour
• 200 g of breadcrumbs
• Seed oil for frying
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 50 g of butter
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. In a large pan, sauté the chopped onion with butter until it becomes translucent.
2. Add the rice and toast it for a few minutes until it becomes glossy.
3. Little by little, pour in the hot vegetable broth, cooking the rice as you would a normal risotto; season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Meanwhile, in another pan, lightly sauté the diced speck without adding any extra fat.
5. Once the rice is cooked al dente, turn off the heat and fold in the Parmesan, nutmeg if desired, and let the risotto cool down.
6. Mix the rice with the reddened speck.
7. Take a portion of rice, flatten it on your hand, and place a few cubes of smoked provola in the center, then close up to form a ball or cone shape.
8. Coat each arancino first in flour, then in lightly beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs, ensuring it’s well covered.
9. Fry the arancini in plenty of hot oil (175 °C) until they are golden brown and then drain them on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
10. Serve them hot.

Curiosities

Arancini are one of the symbols of Sicilian cuisine and each city on the island has its version, which can vary in ingredients and shape. The name derives from the shape and color similar to an orange (in Sicilian “arancina”), though in some areas like Catania they are called “arancino” and often have a conical shape. With speck and provola, we are creating a culinary bridge between Sicily and Northern Italy, merging into a crunchy and tasty bite.