Arancini di riso al forno

The baked rice arancini are a tasty variant of the classic Sicilian arancini stuffed with ragu and peas.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. To make the baked rice arancini, first prepare the rice: bring the water to a boil and add salt, then pour the rice and boil it for about
   15 minutes (in this way the water will be completely absorbed by the rice and the starch left in the pot will make it dry and compact). Meanwhile, dissolve the saffron in a ladle of hot water. When the rice is cooked, pour the liquid with the saffron and mix well.
2. Also add the butter and the seasoned grated caciocavallo and mix again to mix well. Transfer the rice to a large, low tray and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
3. Cover the rice with parchment paper and let it cool at room temperature for at least
   2 hours. In the meantime, you can dedicate yourself to the ragù: peel and thinly slice the onion, then melt the butter in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onion and let it simmer over low heat.
4. At this point add the minced meat, raise the heat and brown it briefly, then add the red wine. Pour the tomato puree, season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for at least
   20 minutes.
5. Halfway through cooking add the peas. If necessary, you can add very little water during cooking, bearing in mind that the sauce should not be liquid at the end but rather thick. Meanwhile, cut the fresh caciocavallo into cubes.
6. When the rice has cooled completely, you can proceed with forming the arancini: prepare a bowl of water to moisten your hands so you can handle the rice more easily. Put a couple of tablespoons of rice (about 120 g) on ​​the palm of your hand and crush it in the center to create a hollow, then stuffed with a teaspoon of meat sauce and a few cubes of caciocavallo.
7. Shape the rice to cover the filling and form a ball. Proceed in this way for all the arancini, then dedicate yourself to the breading: pour the eggs and breadcrumbs into 2 different bowls and pass each one into the egg first and then in the breadcrumbs, repeating the operation 2 times.
8. Arrange the breaded arancini on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and leave to rest in the refrigerator for about
   20 minutes. Then pour a drizzle of oil and bake in a preheated static oven at 190°C for about
   30 minutes. Once cooked, serve your baked rice arancini while still hot!

Nutrition