Saffron and Ragù Arancini

A golden crust that cracks under the teeth, releasing a creamy saffron rice and a stringy cheese core. The smell of hot frying blends with the umami scent of simmered meat.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 40 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1207
• Protein: 50 g
• Carbs: 154 g
• Fat: 43 g

Ingredients

• 500 g White rice ( round risotto rice )
• 200 g Ground beef 15% fat ( fresh )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely chopped )
• 80 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 30 g Minimum butter sweet ( diced )
• 1 pinch Saffron ( threads )
• 150 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( cut into small cubes )
• 50 g Green peas ( blanched )
• 2 tbsp Tomato caviar ( to bind the filling )
• 2 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 100 g Wheat flour
• 150 g Breadcrumbs
• 500 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1.2 L Chicken broth ( kept warm )
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste

Instructions

1. Rice cooking

   In a skillet, sauté the white rice with the chopped onion until translucent. Add the warm chicken broth and saffron. The rice must absorb all the liquid and become sticky. Off the heat, stir in the butter and parmesan. Spread on a tray to cool completely.

2. Ragù preparation

   Sear the ground beef in a pan with the tomato caviar, tomato paste, and peas. Let it reduce until you get a thick, almost dry filling. The meat should be well browned and the sauce should coat the peas.

3. Shaping

   Take a handful of cold rice in a damp hand. Hollow out a well, place a spoonful of filling and a cube of mozzarella. Close with a little more rice to form a compact ball the size of an orange.

4. Breading

   Roll each ball in wheat flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs. The breading must be uniform and without holes to prevent the cheese from escaping during cooking.

5. Frying

   Dip the balls into the sunflower oil at 180°C. When the crust is golden and crispy, drain them on paper. Serve hot so the heart remains melty.

Chef's tips

• Always work with slightly damp hands so the rice doesn't stick to your fingers.
• The rice must be completely cold, ideally made the day before, otherwise the ball will collapse during frying.

Storage

Store in the fridge for 48 hours. Reheat in the oven at 180°C to keep the crunch, avoid the microwave.