Supplì alla Romana
Arancini, or supplì, are great party appetizers as they can be prepared ahead of time, frozen, and then thawed and fried when needed. Arancini or arancine are fried rice balls coated with breadcrumbs, and are said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century. Arancini are usually filled with ragù, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas. In Roman cuisine, supplì are similar, but more commonly filled just with cheese. During our season here in Umbria I often make a double batch of these tasty rice balls and freeze them to serve at our weekly wine tasting with guests. Arancini can be stuffed with a number of different options, but with this version I used a tomato flavored risotto, and then stuffed the rice balls with chunks of an Umbrian cheese much like Brie. When the rice balls are fried, the outer coating gets crisp and brown, while the rice inside stays creamy with a melted cheese center.
To prepare ahead of time, I simply shape and bread the arancini, then place on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, I place in airtight plastic bags and store them in the freezer for up to three months. When needed, I completely thaw the arancini and fry just before serving.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2012
Supplì alla Romana
Cheese stuffed rice balls from Rome.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
- 1 Cup Arborio Rice
- 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth Mixed With 3 Cups Pureed Tomatoes, Heated
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Basil
- 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Cup All-purpose Flour
- 2 Eggs Beaten With 1/3 Cup Milk
- 2 Cups Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- 6 Ounces Soft Melting Cheese Such As Scamorza, Brie, Fontina, etc. Cut Into Pieces
- Oil For Frying
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy saucepan.
- Add the onions and cook until they are translucent.
- Add the rice and stir until it is well coated with the butter and oil mixture.
- Add the white wine, and stir continually over medium heat until it is absorbed.
- Start to add 1/2 cup of hot broth and tomato mixture, stirring as it is absorbed.
- Continue in this manner, adding ladles full of hot broth, and stirring continuously for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked, but remains slightly firm to the teeth.
- Stir in the grated cheese and basil and season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate risotto, covered, for 8 hours, or overnight.
- Place the flour in one shallow bowl, the eggs and milk in another, and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
- Take a small handful of the rice and place in your palm creating an indentation in the center.
- Place a piece of cheese in the center, and wrap the rice around the cheese creating an oblong shape as shown in the photos.
- Continue to use up all the rice in the same manner making more arancini, placing the finished ones on a baking sheet.
- Take each rice ball and first roll in flour, then dip into the egg mixture, and finally roll in breadcrumbs.
- Return to the baking sheet, and continue to coat the remaining rice balls in the same manner.
- Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan to 375 degrees F.
- Fry 3 or 4 rice balls at a time until crisp and golden brown.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove from the oil, and place on a tray covered in paper towels in a warm oven.
- Continue to fry the remaining rice balls in the same fashion, then serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 suppliAmount Per Serving: Calories: 643Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 1362mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 24g
These look good. Nice appetizer idea, and so awesome that they can be frozen, that is a time saver.
Deborah,
Oh how I love arancini! Your recipe sounds perfect! If I don’t get back to your blog before, I wish you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving and holiday season!
Ciao,
Roz
I freeze them already fried and reheat in a low oven. They reheat best if thawed but even from frozen they are tasty. Thanks for the combination ideas.
These used to be my favorite thing from the Tavola Caldas in Rome when I lived there.
They are so yummy and your recipe sounds even better. Thanks
Deborah,you read my mind,I was going to ask you for the arancini recipe, this particular one is super-delicious!!!.Best regards from Miami.
These look wonderful. We have to cook a lot of gluten free items at my house so I think I’ll try this with GF breadcrumbs. Have you ever tried this?
These look wonderful. I will make them and post a picture here. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
I was 5 years old when I first tried “SUPPLIS”. Imagine how good they tasted, that I am 56 and still remember their name and great flavor. I thought I had imagined it or was confused with the name. Thank you for bringing back those delicious memories.
Please clarify, your recipe is 1 c Arborio and serves 4-6.
How many rice ball do you get?
Recipe says serves 4 to 6 so it makes 8 to 12 suppli depending on their size.
Can I make them up, and then fry them the next day.
I will put eggs in rice, make up balls with cheese in it and then roll them in breadcrumbs.
Put them in the fridge over night and fry them in the morning.
Would love a reponse asap, thanks
Rosa
That should work just fine.
My family is from Fano in Marche and were ethnically Jewish, but converted to Christianity after WW2. We always had suppli as an an alternative to matzoh balls. Italian Jews eat rice during Passover, while Ashkenazi (German) Jews do not . We would make the rice as you would for risotto, using short or medium grain rice, and add parsley, eggs and grated cheese along with a tiny bit of finely finely minced shallot for flavor. They would be rolled in egg and dipped into matzoh flour or bread crumbs. After the suppli had finished frying they were drained well and served in clear chicken broth, as you would a matzoh ball. If arrancini were made and mozzarella cheese was added inside it was called “ai telefono” . Telephone style due to the stringy nature of mozzarella resembling phone lines. We also make a giant arrancini called a bomba (bomb) that is filled with a mixture of boneless skinless chicken stewed in tomato sauce with green peas. The food of the Italian Jews is very good. It is the only link to my heritage at this point, and I enjoy the uniqueness of some of my family’s recipes.
What’s the reason behind refrigerating the risotto?
It firms the rice so it can be rolled into balls.
This recipe sounds wonderful.
I can’t wait to make them for my son and grandchildren.
For a healthier recipe, I am also going to make a just a few in my newly purchased, ‘Copperwear Crisper Pan’. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
My nonna came to America from Ferentillo. She made superb risotto then suppli with leftovers. My “Merigan” college friends considered her a magician. I agreed.
Can we try this recipe in absence of wine??
Certainly!
These are fantastic. I made them for my granddaughters birthday party and they were a huge hit. When rolling the rice, I measured out balls the size of 1.5 oz. and was able to make 23 rice balls from this recipe. Since these were served as an appetizer, 1.5 oz balls were the perfect size. Thank you s much for this recipe.