Arancini

Arancini are big, golden rice balls filled with a savory combination of ingredients in the center. These balls are especially popular in Sicily. The fillings often include meat sauce with peas, dried prosciutto, cheeses such as mozzarella and pecorino, tomatoes, or dried capers.

The balls are rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil, developing the characteristical golden color of the exterior. A popular theory says that the dish was invented in the 10th century during the Kalbid rule of Sicily. The name of the dish is derived from the Italian word for orange, arancia, referring to the similarities in visual appearance and color, so arancini means small oranges.

Warm, delicious, and oily, arancini can often be found throughout southern Italy at numerous street carts. Every year on December 13th, there is a festival of Santa Lucia in Palermo, when the city is filled up with kiosks and carts selling these aromatic treats that are prepared specifically for the festival.

During the holiday, there is even a sweet version of the dish, dusted with cocoa and sugar. Interestingly enough, western Sicilians call these snacks arancina in singular form, while eastern Sicilians call it arancino.