Why You Should Always Cook Your Fillings Before Stuffing Arancini

Homemade arancini isn't as difficult to pull off as you might think. If you're unfamiliar, the Sicilian dish of fried, stuffed rice balls (as opposed to suppli, which come from Rome) can look a little complicated to whip up. However, the key here is to really nail the filling. After you've accomplished that, all you have to do is dredge and deep fry your rice-coated creations, which is a pretty straight forward task.

Arancini fillings can vary widely, and can include everything from meat, to veggies, to cheese. To help guide you in direction toward the tastiest (and easiest) stuffing possible, we talked to Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner and chef of Jasper's Restaurant and host of Live! From Jasper's Kitchen Radio. 

When it comes to meat fillings, Mirabile Jr. has one key bit of advice: "I always prefer the meat filling — whether it's braised or ground beef, veal, or pork — to be cooked ahead of time and brought to room temperature and then refrigerated," he said in an interview with Tasting Table. "It's much easier to work this way." Even just one hour in the fridge should help your protein cool down enough to solidify. Once it's firm, the filling will roll off your fingers much easier when you're forming your rice balls.

When it comes to non-meat fillings for your arancini, however, Jasper Mirabile Jr.'s advice varies based on the ingredient in question. "I like to saute various vegetables, such as eggplant, add some cheese and bring to room temperature and then refrigerate before ready to use," he said. 

Why saute your veggies instead of adding raw bits into your rice balls? Doing so will make them soft and tender, so they won't feel out of place amidst all the cooked ingredients in your arancini. You can also add in other filling ingredients at this point, such as herbs, sauce, or tomato paste. Just like with your meat, you'll want to stick the whole thing in the fridge so that the now-soft veggies can firm up before you form balls.

There is one instance, however, in which you won't want to cook your filling ingredients ahead of time. "If it is plain ricotta cheese, egg and parsley, do not cook ahead of time," Mirabile Jr. advised. Heating up ricotta with eggs ahead of time will only make it more difficult to work with, as the cheese will soften while the eggs may cook through. Instead, make a cold filling and stuff tablespoons into the middle of your risotto before deep frying. Mirabile Jr.'s fellow chef, Michael Symon, says you can make the perfect arancini the night before.