Arancini with Broccoli and Sausage

Arancini with broccoli and sausage are a great way to reinterpret this classic Sicilian specialty, enriching them with extra flavor. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 300 g of rice for arancini (such as arborio or carnaroli)
• Vegetable broth as needed
• 1 small onion
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 200 g of sausage
• 300 g of broccoli
• 100 g of mozzarella (or another melting cheese)
• 2 eggs
• Breadcrumbs as needed
• Flour as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the base risotto for the arancini. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the rice and toast it for a few minutes. Continue by adding the vegetable broth little by little until the rice is cooked but still al dente. Let the risotto cool.

2. Meanwhile, clean the broccoli and divide it into florets. Cook them in boiling salted water until tender, then drain and let them cool.

3. Crumble the sausage and brown it in a pan without adding other fats, until it is well cooked.

4. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and set aside.

5. In a large bowl, start assembling the arancini. Take a handful of rice and flatten it on your hand, place some broccoli, sausage, and mozzarella in the center, then cover with more rice forming a ball or a cone.

6. Pass each arancino first in the flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs.

7. Fry the arancini in plenty of hot oil until golden, then drain them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

Trivia

Arancini, whose name derives from the shape and color reminiscent of a small orange (“arancino” in Sicilian dialect), are traditionally filled with ragù, peas, and caciocavallo, but their versatility makes them perfect for being adapted with an infinite number of fillings, like the one we prepared today.