You will find arancini _ fried risotto balls filled with cheeses, vegetables or meats _ on many fancy Italian restaurant menus. But I first tasted authentic arancini at an autogrill (the Italian version of a truck stop) along the Autostrada (highway) in Italy.
These off-highway spots offer espresso, soft drinks, beer and wine accompanied by panini (sandwiches), snacks like arancini, and, of course, gasoline.
Named for the "little oranges" that they resemble, arancini originated as Sicilian street food and are found throughout Italy. In Rome, they are known as telefono, so named because the strings of melted mozzarella that ooze out when you take a bite resemble telephone lines.
The best rice for arancini is the type used to make risotto, such as arborio. Cook it very al dente so it will retain that bite after deep frying. Although many arancini recipes begin with fresh-made risotto, it's perfectly OK to start with day-old chilled risotto.
Make sure you really squeeze the arancini together to form them as tight as possible so they will hold their shape when frying. It's a good idea to have a bowl of cold water handy to moisten your hands to keep the rice from sticking to them. The fillings for arancini are regional and familial and vary dramatically from mushrooms or cheese to roasted eggplant or ground meat.
Arancini can be frozen for up to three months and fried directly from the freezer. Double the recipe the next time you make a batch of risotto so you have enough to make arancini the next day.
Arancini make a delicious side dish or a main course served with a salad.
