Nini's Arancini (Sicilian Deep-Fried Rice Balls) by Vicky Bennison

There are multiple stages in this recipe, and the trickiest bit is stopping people from eating them as they come out of the fryer.

This is one of two featured recipes from Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking: Traditional Family Recipes from Italy's Best Home Cooks by this week’s guest, Vicky Bennison. Paid subscribers can also enjoy a recipe for Anna Maria’s Ziti alla Genovese. Hear our conversation with Vicky here.

Photo: Emma Lee

Excerpted with permission from Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking: Traditional Family Recipes from Italy's Best Home Cooks by Vicky Bennison:

Nini lives near Catania in Sicily where arancini are large and pointed (and the spelling is with an ‘i’; on the western side of the island, they are arancine). Nini says they are meant to resemble Mount Etna and the oozy filling looks like lava.

She works in the local butchers and makes arancini for church festivals where, of course, they are hugely popular. There are multiple stages in this recipe, and the trickiest bit is stopping people from eating them as they come out of the fryer. Use Arborio rice for this recipe because of its starchiness, which helps the grains stick together.

If you cannot find caciocavallo, use any cheese that’s good for melting, such as fiore di latte (cow’s milk mozzarella).