Arancino, or rice-arancino, is one of the most popular specialties of Sicilian cuisine.
It is as good as it is simple.
It is a ball of breaded and fried rice with a diameter of 8-10 cm, stuffed with meat sauce, ham, mozzarella and saffron.
The rice-arancino was introduced in Sicily during the Arab domination, at a time when the custom of consuming rice and saffron was introduced on the island.
The Arabic word for orange at that time was also: “nanranj”.
Breading was used, in the Middle Ages, to increase the preservation of food and made it easier to transport.
With this stratagem, the arancino became a very practical food since the long shelf life and ease of transport meant that the arancino was used as take-away food for those who went to work and had to have lunch away from home.
The Islamic dominion over Sicily began with the landing at Capo Granitola near Mazara del Vallo in 827 and ended with the fall of Noto in 1091.
Arab cuisine greatly influenced the Sicilian one, especially with regard to desserts and first of all for the introduction of dry pasta very similar to today’s macaroni.
After the discovery of the Americas, the tomato arrived in Europe.
The Spaniards invented tomato sauce and when the sauce arrived on the tables of Sicily, the arancino also modernized its recipe.
In fact, an excellent tomato sauce was added together with the ragù.
Video: Sciuri, sciuri –
Un abbraccio/ a big Hug
Marcus Dardi
