arancini - rice balls

I noticed that Caputo's Cheese in mel-rosss park has started putting these in the deli case so I picked some up on Sunday. At 99 cents each I felt they where quite a bargain and very tasty. I bought the spinach and cheese filled and brought some to share with my coworkers and it may become a weekly lunch thing for us.

Does anyone have any history on these? Is this an italian-american dish or something from the old country? I notice they tend to only show up on weekends as I see them on the counter at riveria on saturdays. They seem to be more of a home made quality than a commerical kitchen product but I trust someone here is willing to tell me more than I should know about these tasty little things

thanks
bob

I believe these are genuine Italian and that I have seen them in books by genuine Italians. But I can't cite chapt. and verse from memory.

FYI, L'Apettito also has them in their deli case. About the sizeof a tennis ball and meat filled. I've always like them.

I believe they are a genuinely Italian thing as well. From what I remember, it was a way to make use of left-over risotto. I recall Mario Batali talking about them on one of his shows.

They are eaten in Italy. The small Caffe Baci chain in the Loop has decent arancini.

My favorite italian version of these are called suppli al telefono - or telephone style fritters. The strings of cheese that stretch between the two halves of the ball are supposed to look like telephone wires. Yum.

Yes, they are Italian. Nonetheless, I saw them in the Deli department at Tony's on Elston over the weekend.

I'm not sure where The Riv gets its arancini. But, I prefer it. It has a meat ragu in the middle and is light on the cheese. The problem with the Riv is that they only carry them on Sunday and often run out early.

Nottoli Sausage Shop also makes a good arancini which they have all week long.

Hi,

Arrancini are Italian. There was a discussion on CH about 6-8 months ago, when I pointed out a local vendor had these and a fry bread made from chickpea flour. Both were identified as street foods

In my neck of the woods, these can be found at:

Il Mulino Bakery
530 Sheridan Road
Highwood, IL 60040
847-266-0811

Mmm arrancini,

I've got these in the past from Valli Produce in Arlington Heights. My question is, though - how do you reheat them? I always end up with some combination of burnt on the outside, cold in the middle, and dried out.

Hey look the've got website

Thanks,
vegmojo

My method for reheating arrancini [and pizza, for that matter] is to warm oven to 350, place arrancini flat on a sheet of parchment paper, and place paper directly on the rack. Heat until it looks nicely crispy & brown. The advantage of the parchement paper, imho, is that it contains the food without holding in any moisture, the way foil will, and the silicone treated stuff never sticks. And the bottom won't burn if you don't put it on a pan, because the paper doesn't concentrate heat at all.

Don't try this at a 450 oven, of course.

Did I ever sing the praises of my DeLonghi toaster/convection oven, by the way? Big enough for a gratin, meat-loaf or roast chicken & actually cooks those things well without heating up the whole kitchen [not desireable, in my mind, unless it's a chilly day]. And great for re-heating arrancini....

Giovanna

Hi,

The rice ball from my local bakery, is the size of a tennis ball. It is conceiveable the exterior will be warm and crisp, when the interior is still rather chilled.

Depending on how big your rice ball is, you may want to consider a dual method for reheating: start with the microwave to warm the core, then finish with the oven to crisp.

Wish I could say it was my great idea, alas it was my Dad. He likes his food HOT and CRISP.

Arancine (singular arancina) are probably Sicilian in origin, though you find them all over southern Italy now. In Palermo they are usually stuffed with a tomato sauce with meat (beef or salame or ham) and peas in the spring. The suppli mentioned above (accent on the last syllable) are the Roman version, usually filled with just mozzarella.

My favorites in Chicago are the ones at Palermo bakery on Harlem Ave, but Nottoli makes good ones (get the small ones), as does Nancy Bakery on Montrose and Sicilian Bakery on Cumberland.

To reheat, I prefer a convection oven at 275-300 for 20-30 minutes (depending on size), but today I was ravenous so I used the microwave to reheat one. I lost some of the crunch in the crust, but I got to eat in 3 minutes. Porca miseria.

Arrancini are available to eat in or take out at La Milanese in Bridgeport. They have both a meat version and a spinach/ricotta version. Quite good. I first tried arrancini at Scumaci's on 31st, which has been gone for a couple years now.

La Milanese
3156 S. May
Chicago, IL 60608
773-254-9543

YourPalWill wrote:I'm not sure where The Riv gets its arancini. But, I prefer it. It has a meat ragu in the middle and is light on the cheese. The problem with the Riv is that they only carry them on Sunday and often run out early.

Will,

I certainly agree, Riviera's arancini are quite good, have you tried the calzone? Light, with just tomato, fresh mozzarella and a herb or two. I've asked if they made the arancini and calzone in house My answer, a general wave toward Harlem Ave and "a bakery makes them for us, using our recipe"

I was last at Riviera a month ago and they had house cured Cacciatore


and house cured Soprassata


the house cured Capicola was about a month away, which means it's ready right about now.

What do you think of Bar Nazionale, right next door? Cool as hell place, last time I was there two elder Italian men were playing cards in the front window, slapping their cards down, hard, on the table while they swore at each other, in Italian, all the while smiling like old friends, but the coffee is variable.

Last time was slightly acidic, though the crema was just about perfect. The barista was easy on the eyes, but nothing like the Ukrainian National Womans Volleyball Team baristas at Cafe Italia. The espresso, IMHO, at Cafe Italia is slightly better as well.

Enjoy,
Gary

Riviera
3220 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60634
773-637-4252


Caffe Italia
2625 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60707
773-889-0455

I missed this thread during my phase of being out of touch after moving...

As Choey indicates, arancini are specifically Sicilian in origin, though they have now become to some degree part of the national cuisine. That is not to say that similar fried rice balls with some manner of filling have not long been made elsewhere; they have been, but the specific treatment with safron flavoured rice filled with a beef ragú, is from the big island. The name fits very well into that picture, for Sicily is a great producer of oranges and the name arancini means just that, 'little oranges'.

The ones made at Il Mulino in Highwood are especially good in my opinion.

Antonius

Cathy- Bacio foods, just down the street from il mulino also sells them, as well as the calzone things. I have never tried them there, but they always seem to have the same flavors as il mulino. Since bacio doesnt carry il mulino bread, I assume that they dont get the arancini from them either. Do you know for sure that il mulino makes their own? I would guess so, since they always seem to be warm, but they could be buying them from the same vendor as bacio. I have not seen the chickpea things.
-Will

Hi,

I have been at Il Mulino when the Arancini and Calzone were still cooling from the oven. For these I am quite convinced they make them in-house.

&&&

If you were talking about the frozen ravioli, tortellini, gnocchi, ect. sold at various shops in Highwood. If they tasted the same from one place or another, I wouldn't be surprised. There is a general rumor these are made at some Grandmother's kitchen table as a side business. There must be some competition for the better sources, because from time to time I have heard stop buying at X, now go to Y.

My niece, who takes French, belongs to the high school's Italian club. Every November they have a fundraising dinner of homemade tortellini and tortellacci with your choice of sauces. Last year, one sauce was made from porcini. At the conclusion, someone's Grandmother is applauded for making all the pastas and sauces for the meal. No small feat when there are at least 100 people present.

I am still trying to obtain an invitation to a Tortellini- and Tortellacci-making party. When I inquired with my niece's friend, she rolled her eyes because what I am biting the bit to do; she finds eminently boring and tedious.

Speaking of arancini, I recently tried Sicilian Bakery's version and found it particularly delectable. Surprisingly light textured with a crisp distinct outer, and moist flavorful inner, layer.

Sicilian Bakery Arancini


Two types were on offer, spinach/ricotta cheese and ragu, both were quite good, but at that moment my preference was spinach. I was particularly enamored with the crisp greasless outer layer and overall balance of flavor.

Arancini w/Spinach


Arancini /wRagu


Focaccia was fine, and a pastry special for Saint Joseph's quite good, the canoli, for a stuffed a few times a day, as opposed to on the spot, was best I've had in Chicago, with the exception of Pasticceria Natalina



I recommend a visit to Sicilian Bakery, terrific arancini, nice selection of baked goods, deli sandwiches available and, though I did not try it, the owner seemed especially proud of his bread.

Enjoy,
Gary

Sicilian Bakery Inc
4632 N Cumberland Ave
Chicago, IL 60656
773-589-2602

As tom the question of how to heat arancini, I don't. I eat them at room temperature.

These look delicious. Can anybody offer some technical hints for the home cook? Is there a particularly good recipe out there? I have a feeling that if I take some leftover risotto, form it into a sphere, and plunge it into the deep fryer, I will be headed for disaster.

I popped into D'Amato's this afternoon, and figured I'd give this thread a bump to mention that they've started offering arancini in the same meat/peas and spinach/cheese variants mentioned above.



My experience with arancini is pretty limited, so don't too much stock in my assessment, but I thought they were... okay. Just a little flat. I think a little more salt could've gone a long way. I didn't bother to heat them, however, which may have something to do with it.

Those are some gorgeous looking arancini (and gorgeously photographed, I might add) from Sicilian bakery.

I happened to stop in at the new hotsy-totsy Italian bakery in Andersonville (is it Sfogliatelle, or do they just have a lot of them?). Anyway, everyone was very nice and the shop was lovely, but the arancini were $5 ea. I mean.....? I just can't go there.

In the interest of research, I did put together a mix of 5 of the little savory turnovers at $3/ea. They were good, but again, $3 for about 2.5 bites just didn't make me feel good. We're talking about nice flaky dough and about 2 TB of filling (peas/prosciutto, spin./ricotta/potato parsley, funghi, etc.). (The funghi filling had a very nice, highly concentrated flavor that made me feel I could see value for money somewhere as a dot on the horizon, but still.)

There were some very nice looking focaccie coming out of the oven with commendably simple toppings lightly scattered. Didn't enquire about price.

Is it simply the Andersonville real estate that drives these prices, or is that really what the market will bear for a couple of bites?

I don't wish them ill in any way, it's nice stuff, but I can't see becoming a regular either.

This thread reminded me of a chapter in one of Frances Mayes' books (Bella Tuscany, I think), about planning a weekend visit to Sicily and anticipating all the arancini-eating opportunities that will afford.

In the April issue of Gourmet I just came across some pictures and a recipe for Cheddar rice fritters, apparently a Southern favorite. They don't look as big and beautiful as the arancini in the photos from the Sicilian Bakery, but the recipe could be a jumping-off point for me to learn how to make my own.

But until I do -- Cathy2, you've inspired me! I'm headed over to Il Mulino in Highwood tomorrow!

Haven't even gotten to Il Mulino yet and already I have a follow-up to my previous post. Just talked to my sister who lives in Deerfield, to recruit her to go arancini hunting with me in Highwood tomorrow. She says her husband has brought arancini home from Il Mulino before and that they are GREAT. She says we also have to check out a Chinese place right next door that makes fantastic homemade dumplings.

My sister and I made a quick but very satisfying trip to Il Mulino in Highwood this past week.

Once in the parking lot, before we even entered Il Mulino, we went to Mee Jun's next door to split an order of six very large and tasty steamed dumplings. These were about twice as big as any other Chinese dumplings I've ever seen, so three each made a great lunch for two of us. Total price for the order of six dumplings, plus one diet Coke, $4.95.

At Il Mulino, we bought ragu-filled and spinach filled arincini to take home. I just had one for lunch today, following Cathy2's recommendation to reheat it first in the microwave, then in the oven. Just one makes a satisfying lunch. $2.50 each.

We also bought to take home individual, egg-shaped servings of light, moist, delicious, pound cake, covered with about a quarter-inch of fudgy chocolate frosting. An entire Bundt pan of the same cake costs $12.95. I know what we're having for dessert on Easter!

On the way to and from the bakery on Waukegan Ave, we drove past the Curry Hut, about which I'm also curious (Indian or Thai, for one?). My sister says it is very good Indian food, but she advises going in clothes you can go home and change, because you'll come out with everything about you smelling like curry.

Can't wait til my next hop up to Highwood.

Katie wrote:Once in the parking lot, before we even entered Il Mulino, we went to Mee Jun's next door to split an order of six very large and tasty steamed dumplings. These were about twice as big as any other Chinese dumplings I've ever seen, so three each made a great lunch for two of us. Total price for the order of six dumplings, plus one diet Coke, $4.95.

You're the first person I've known to visit Mee Jun's. I will follow your footsteps to visit there sometime soon.

Thank you!

Regards,

You're the first person I've known to visit Mee Jun's. I will follow your footsteps to visit there sometime soon.

Oh, I'm already looking forward to going back for more of those dumplings. I didn't mention before that the dumplings came with a cup of dim sum sauce with chopped scallions in it, and a smaller cup of chile oil with red pepper flakes in it. We added the chile oil to the dim sum sauce, and it was great! I even brought the leftover sauce home. That's what I want to have with any potstickers I ever have from now on.

I guess I should really test out some other things on Mee Jun's menu. Next time I will get a few dishes to bring home and do some taste testing.

But I've drifted off the arancini topic, and still had more things I wanted to say about Highwood. I should go search to see if there's an existing thread about that. And then I'll tell you about my stop at the Hoagie Hut ...

I have never tried Mee Jun's because a friend of mine had a bad experience at their previous location in highwood, but I guess I should give it a try. I stopped by to pick up their menu, which looked pretty typical for suburban Chinese (other than the Spanish translations), and I didnt see any regular dumplings, only potstickers. What exactly did you order?

Thanks, Will

That's what I meant, potstickers.

Pasta Fresh on Harlem has good arancini balls. If they don't have any in the case already made, they'll make them for you on the spot.