great balls of rice

A Sicilian girl I used to work with first introduced me to arancinis about fifteen years ago. Traditional arancini are rice balls usually mixed with meat, mozzarella and tomato sauce, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried. However, its common to encounter vegetarian versions with spinach and mozzarella or even with mushrooms. I've been obsessed about them ever since that first bite all those years ago but the ones I've tried whilst living in London never quite hit the spot.

I was recently in Taormina, Sicily enjoying the last rays of the European summer with one of my BFFs from Sydney when I came across this small store selling arancinis. I was in the land where these famous rice balls were created - I knew I had to have one!

We ordered a 'tradizionale' (with meat, peas, parmigiano and other cheeses) and a 'smeraldo' (with spinach, parmigiano and other cheeses). Needless to say, my smeraldo arancini didn't last very long!

There was an exceptional crunch to the outside with oozing hot mozzarella in the middle of my rice ball. Bellissimo!

arancini straight out of the fryer with a very crispy shell

"smeraldo" arancini - with oozy hot mozzarella inside

"tradizonale" arancini 

arancini in corso
2 piazzetta leone, taormina