Ricotta-Filled Arancine Recipe - Great Italian Chefs

Accursio Craparo's ricotta-filled arancina recipe is a delicious take on this Sicilian classic. The rice is infused with saffron during cooking, then mixed with a heady combination of lemon zest, butter and Parmesan, acting as a comforting shell for the creamy ricotta within. If cooking for vegetarians, swap the Parmesan for a vegetable rennet-based cheese with a similar flavour profile.

Ingredients

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Metric

Imperial

Rice

300g of carnaroli risotto rice
1l water
0.3g of saffron
1 lemon, zested
1 pinch of salt
80g of butter
80g of Parmesan
20g of extra virgin olive oil

Ricotta filling

240g of ricotta

To coat the arancine

fine white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
flour
oil, for deep-frying

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Deep fat fryer
Disposable piping bag

To begin, make the rice base. Add the water to a pan and heat until almost simmering. In a separate pan, lightly toast the rice over a high heat, then add a ladleful of the water, along with the saffron strands

300g of carnaroli risotto rice
0.3g of saffron
1l water

Continue to stir and cook the rice, adding a ladleful of water at a time and allowing it to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next

When the rice is cooked, beat in the lemon zest, salt, butter, Parmesan and oil, until creamy. Set aside at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, until cool enough to handle

1 lemon, zested
1 pinch of salt
80g of butter
80g of Parmesan
20g of extra virgin olive oil

Meanwhile, whip the ricotta until light and smooth, then transfer to a piping bag

240g of ricotta

Using your hands, form the rice into arancina, piping some ricotta into the centre of each one, then closing up to form a perfect ball

When all of the arancina are formed, prepare three shallow bowls – one with flour, one with beaten egg and one with breadcrumbs

flour
fine white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten

Dust each arancine with flour

Coat the arancina in beaten egg

Finally, dust in the breadcrumbs, ensuring you have an even coating

Preheat a deep pan of oil to 170°C

oil, for deep-frying

Fry the arancina in batches until golden all over, for approximately 5–6 minutes, then set aside to drain on kitchen paper

Allow to cool a little before serving

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Accursio Craparo

As one of Sicily’s most prominent chefs, Accursio Craparo puts the flavours of the east and west of the island centre stage at his eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant in Modica.

Ricotta-filled arancina

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