Arancini - Italian Fried Rice Balls.  Literally meaning Little Oranges in Sicilian, a handful of richly flavored rice surrounds a small pocket of meat and cheese that is breaded and fried until golden.  Hope was introduced to this delicious food item of happiness several years ago when a co-worker brought them in for a potluck.  She smuggled some home for me to try, and we soon decided we had to make them at home.

Surprisingly, the best recipe I found online originated from The Frugal Gourmet.  I adapted this recipe and have since used this faithfully over the years.  It's become a cult favorite among my friends.  Jesse boasts the dubious record of having eaten the most in one evening (3 and a half large-format balls...about the size of a baseball).  They're really terribly laborious to assemble, but well worth the effort.  No one will ever say, "Gee, it was a really bad idea to make those."  They reheat really well in the microwave too, surprisingly.

This dish is frequently referred to in cookbooks as an appetizer, but I almost always serve them as a main dish.  They're delicious with a side of marinara.  Ideally, they're assembled the night before, then fried and served hot the next day.  There are three main steps: Cook the rice, cook the filling, assemble and bread.  Let's break the recipe down by step.

Cook the rice
2 C Long-grain white rice
4 C Chicken broth
1 Stick Butter, Melted
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1/2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/3 C Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot.  Add the rice, stir, reduce to medium-low, and cook covered for fifteen minutes.  Remove from heat and alllow to cool somewhat.  Mix in other ingredients, season to taste and set aside.

Cook the filling
1/4 C Lean Ground Pork
1/4 C Ground Sirloin
1/2 Onion, Small Dice
1 Clove Garlic
1/2 C Shredded Mozzarella

While the rice cooks, brown the Pork and Beef in a saute pan over medium heat.  Season, drain and set aside.  In the same pan, add 1T olive oil and saute onion and garlic until soft and the onion begins to take on some color.  Combine with ground meat and let cool.  Add mozzarella and set aside.

Assemble and bread
1 C Flour
3 Eggs, Beaten
Bread Crumbs

This part requires the most patience.  This is a typical three-step breading technique that can be applied to anything you want to give a crispy fried coating to.

Take a small amount of the rice mixture in the palm of your hand.  Hollow out a cavity in the middle and place some of the meat mixture inside.  Gently pull the sides of the rice around the meat until fully enclosed.  Roll the newly-formed ball in the flour first, then dip into the egg and finally coat with the bread crumbs.  At this point, I wash off the built-up gunk on my hands and repeat.  If this is your first time, you may want to drink at this point before proceeding.  This takes practice and time.

The recipe yielded about 11 rice balls.  If you make them larger, the recipe would probably yield 8 or 9.  You don't want to make your balls too big, or they won't be warm in the center.  No one likes balls that are tepid in the middle.  To finish, heat frying oil to 375°.  Carefully place in hot oil and fry until golden brown.

 Bailey lent a hand...er, a tongue...cleaning the floor.  This is unusual for him, although he didn't finish the job.